The Twentieth Century


Major Documents of Vatican II

Comparison with Vatican I

Document on the church

Document on other Christian denominations

Document on other religions

More documents: on this world, on the liturgy, on the laity, on governments, on scripture, on priests and nuns


Schedule Planning

Options for an intermediate Theology course spring 2024

The Forbidden Books
TH 3316, Dr. Hanneken, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:35 and 2:00 pm
This course explores the books excluded from the Bible of Judaism as it survived, which nevertheless reflect the theological debates in Judaism in the time between the composition of the Old and New Testaments.
Early Christian Literature: Suffering, Gender, and the Body
TH 3326, Prof. Bowley, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:45 and 11:10 am
This course will examine selected readings from the first through the sixth centuries CE, including canonical and apocryphal texts, as well as writings by early Christians interpreting the Bible. Students will consider historical and theological developments in early Christian teaching, gaining insight into how literature can reflect and shape social life, liturgy and ritual, theology, and material culture. The course will explore the continued relevance of early Christian literature for communities today.
Images of Women in the Hebrew Bible
TH 3333, Dr. Ronis, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:35 and 2:00 pm
This course examines depictions of women across the Hebrew Bible. It explores depictions of specific women in biblical stories, as well as the ways that womanhood and femininity get used as metaphors and ideas in some biblical texts and in the reception and further interpretation of the Hebrew Bible.
Introduction to Moral Theology
TH 3350, Dr. Montecel, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:35 and 2:00
Moral theology, sometimes called Christian ethics or theological ethics, is reasoned reflection on moral experience and decision-making as informed by conscience, virtues, faith, values, moral principles, Church teaching, and human experience. Moral theology seeks to discern and promote the wellbeing of persons as situated within communities, social institutions, and all of God’s creation. Selected ethical issues are included.
Race and Racism
TH 3358, Dr. Ball, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45 and 11:10 am
This course seeks to gain a theologically and ethically informed perspective on the construction of race and ethnicity as well as the workings of the social sins of racism and nativism in society and the Church. Social movements that promote racial justice are also considered.
Faith and Reason, Science and Religion
TH 3376, Dr. Epsen, Mondays and Wednesdays 1:45 and 3:15 pm
This course explores the history and especially contemporary issues of ways in which people of faith and religion, particularly in the Christian tradition, have struggled to find compatibility with reason and science in the face of substantial challenges.
Theology in the Southwest
TH 3384, Dr. Tyler Davis, Tuesdays, 6:30 pm
This course examines the theological questions arising from the experience of Christian life and worship in the Southwest. The sources of this study are directly applicable to this unique region and, in addition to theology, may include cultural and sociological studies related to identity formation, practices that uniquely manifest faith and worship, and a study of the historical development of the Christian tradition in this area.

For students looking beyond next semester, the following courses are taught with some regularity:

If more than one of those sound appealing, it might be worth considering adding a theology minor. It only takes five classes beyond the core.

Options beyond the minimum


Travel Stage 5

Prompt, guidance, rubric, and sample


Reading Responses

Vatican 2

was there some backlash from the very conservative Catholic community responding to the transition of conservative views to more liberal views? I suppose the Church should be adapting to new ways and manners but isn’t that the whole point of the church to follow the same teachings?

Papacy

Controversy about Pope becoming an “influencer”

Why not lower-ranking bishops? An example would be the archbishop in San Antonio having a float in the fiesta parade.

History of the papacy from its origins.

Historical Developments

Secularism in Europe and US… Do you think that the end of Christendom is the slow death of Christianity? Becoming less and less tied to politics until it doesn't exist at all?

I wonder if this would even change back

The first three centuries of Christianity demonstrate that domination is not necessary for the Christian faith.

Why did the catholic church struggle to maintain power and relevance?

Basically I feel like religions are businesses implementing new ideas to fit the demographics of times in order to secure power. I wonder what would happen if the various institutionalized religions were suddenly not institutionalized?

How did industrialization impact theology?


Schedule Planning

Options for an intermediate Theology course spring 2023

Likely in subsequent semesters

Options beyond the minimum