Theology, Ethics and Culture
Students in the Theology, Ethics and Culture division will specialize in either theology, religion, and culture or ethics and society.
Course work
Students in theology, religion, and culture should take courses in cultural studies/religious studies (at least 12 units), cultural critique (at least 8 units), and theology and culture (at least 12 units).
Students specializing in ethics and society will take courses in philosophical ethics, theological ethics, and social ethics, with the majority of their courses concentrated in one of the three areas.
Philosophical ethics: This concentration emphasizes the historical development of philosophical ethics, more intensive study of the general normative theories of major figures, and analyses of major ethical issues. Courses should include philosophy of religion/philosophical ethics (at least 16 units), theological ethics (at least 8 units), and social ethics (at least 8 units).
Theological ethics: This concentration emphasizes the historical development of theological ethics, more intensive study of formative figures and critical ethical issues, and liberation and political theologies. Courses should include theological ethics (at least 16 units), philosophical ethics (at least 8 units), and social ethics (at least 8 units).
Social ethics: This concentration combines the study of normative social-ethical theory (primarily theological, but social as well) with empirical study in a cognate field in the social sciences. This program combines traditional modes of scholarship with the methodologies of the social sciences, to pursue a multidisciplinary critique of major social issues. Courses should include theological/philosophical issues (at least 12 units), a cognate field in a selected social science (at least 8 units), and social/ethical issues (at least 12 units).
Qualifying Examinations
The student is responsible for scheduling the written and oral examinations according to the regular procedures of the School of Religion (see the Department Secretary).
Theology, Religion, and Culture: Four examinations and a dissertation proposal are required.
Exams are required in two of the following areas of theology and culture: liberation theologies, theologies of culture, multi-cultural or cross-cultural theologies, theology and gender/sexuality, theology and non-Christian religions, theology and the arts (film, literature), and theology and science (technology). These exams will test the student’s capabilities in cultural and theological analysis, and theological construction. They will focus on at least two twentieth-century figures and two movements or issues. Specific foci will be decided in consultation with the faculty committee.
One exam will be required in either History of Christianity or History of Religions to test the student’s capabilities with historical methodologies and the ability to understand figures, movements, and issues in their historical context. For the History of Christianity exam the student will be tested for knowledge of a formative figure, movement or issue, from two of the following periods of history: pre-reformation, reformation, or post-reformation. For the History of Religions exam the student will be tested for knowledge of the emerging methodological studies in religious studies. The student will be required to compare at least two traditions (to be worked out in consultation with an advisor) in: their historical development, concepts of Divinity, understandings of roles, family, gender, ethnicity, class, and authority.
One exam will relate to study in a cognate field appropriate to the student’s theological specialization, e.g., some discipline of the humanities of some area of cultural studies, or the study of non-Christian religions. In many cases, this exam would include specific areas of cultural criticism, e.g., political/economic theoriesand ideologies, gender studies and sexuality, multi-cultural critiques, the arts, and science and technology.
In addition, the student will submit a dissertation proposal at the time of the qualifying exams.
Ethics and Society: four examinations and a dissertation proposal are required:
Three exams will be taken from the following areas:
Philosophical ethics
Theological ethics
Social ethics
Cognate field in a social science
A fourth exam will be in the area of the dissertation.
In addition, the student will submit a dissertation proposal at the time of the qualifying exams.
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