Schedule

Introduction to Theology

Todd R. Hanneken, Ph.D.

Spring 2024

Jump to Week:

  1. Introductions January 10, 17
  2. Israelites 1 January 22, 24
  3. Israelites 2 January 29, 31
  4. Early Judaism and Christianity 1 February 5, 7
  5. Early Judaism and Christianity 2 February 12, 14
  6. Early Judaism and Christianity 3 February 19, 21
  7. Midterm and Travel Project February 26, 28
  1. Christendom 1 March 4, 6
  2. Christendom 2 March 18, 20
  3. Reformation 1 March 25, 27
  4. Mary and Marianists April 3
  5. Reformation 2 April 8, 10
  6. 20th Century 1 April 15, 17
  7. 20th Century 2 April 22, 24

Jump to Unit:

  1. Introductions
  2. The Israelites
  3. Early Judaism and Christianity
  4. Christendom
  5. Reformation
  6. 20th Century

Presentations

Rubric

Notes on Rubric

List of presentations

Travel Project

Travel Project Notes

  1. Stage 1 due noon January 29
  2. Stage 2 due noon February 12
  3. Stage 3 due noon March 25
  4. Stage 4 due noon April 15
  5. Stage 5 due noon April 29

Unit 1: Introductions

Week 1, January 10-17, Introductions

Wednesday, January 10, Introduction to this class

Syllabus

Screen notes: Introductions

Wednesday, January 17, Introduction to the academic study of theology

Unit 2: The Israelites

Week 2, January 22-24, The Israelites 1

Monday, January 22, Who are the Israelites?

Reading: Theological Questions 2.1 Who are the Israelites?

Presentation: The Life of the Buddha

Screen notes: Who are the Israelites?

Wednesday, January 24, What kind of god do we have?

Reading: Theological Questions 2.2 What kind of god do we have?

Presentation: Pantheism

Screen notes: What kind of god do we have?

Week 3, January 29-31, The Israelites 2

Monday, January 29, Theodicy: Is God just?

Travel Project Stage 1 due noon

Reading: Theological Questions 2.3 If there is only one God and that god is good, how does evil exist?

Presentation: The Four Noble Truths

Presentation: Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

Screen notes: Theodicy

Wednesday, January 31, Israelite Practice

Reading: Theological Questions 2.4 How should we live our lives?

Presentation: The Eightfold Path

Screen notes: Israelite Practice

Unit 3: Early Judaism and Christianity

Week 4, February 5-7, Early Judaism and Christianity 1

Monday, February 5, How did the Greeks and Romans change the meaning of life?

Reading: Theological Questions 3.1 What changed with Hellenistic and Roman rule?

Presentation: Reincarnation

Screen notes: Afterlife

Wednesday, February 7, Where is the world going?

Reading: Theological Questions 3.2 What does God have planned for this world?

Presentation: Islamic Eschatology

Screen notes: Eschatology

Week 5, February 12-14, Early Judaism and Christianity 2

Monday, February 12, Who is Jesus?

Travel Project Stage 2 due noon

Reading: Theological Questions 3.3 Who is Jesus of Nazareth?

Presentation: Life of Muhammed

Screen notes: Jesus of Nazareth

Wednesday, February 14, Why did Jesus die?

Reading: Theological Questions 3.4 Why did Jesus die?

Presentation: Homer, Odyssey Book 11

Screen notes: Soteriology

Week 6, February 19-21, Early Judaism and Christianity 3

Monday, February 19, What will Jesus do in the future?

Reading: Theological Questions 3.5 What will Jesus do in the future?

Screen notes: Judgment Day

Wednesday, February 21, Are we ready?

Midcourse

Week 7, February 26-28, Midterm Exam and Travel Project

Monday, February 26, Midterm

Wednesday, February 28, Sacred Space and Human Culture

Unit 4: Christendom

Week 8, March 4-6, Christendom 1

Monday, March 4, What if the Roman Empire isn’t so bad after all?

Wednesday, March 6, What is the Church?

Reading: Theological Questions 4.2 What is the Church?

Presentation: Maimonides

Screen notes: Ecclesiology

Week 9, March 18-20, Christendom 2

Monday, March 18, What about the Jews?

Wednesday, March 20, How should Christian life be practiced?

Unit 5: Reformation

Week 10, March 25-27, Reformation 1

Monday, March 25, Who were the protestant reformers?

Travel Project Stage 3 due noon

Reading: Theological Questions 5.1 What changed with the Renaissance leading to the Reformation?

Presentation: Sunni and Shi'i

Screen notes: Who were the Protestant Reformers?

Wednesday, March 27, What did they protest?

Reading: Theological Questions 5.2 Whom do you trust with big decisions?

Presentation: Hadith and Fiqh

Screen notes: Scripture and Tradition

Week 11, April 3, Mary and Marianists

Wednesday, April 3, Mary and Marianists

Reading: “Mary, Mariology, and Marianists” in Theological Questions Supplements

Presentation: Mary in Islam

Screen notes: Mary, Mariology, and the Marianist Family

Week 12, April 8-10, Reformation 2

Monday, April 8, Do my actions affect my salvation?

Reading: Theological Questions 5.3 What do I have to do to be saved?

Presentation: Nirvana

Screen notes: Faith and Works

Unit 6: 20th and 21st Centuries

Week 13, April 15-17, 20th Century 1

Monday, April 15, What happened in the 20th century?

Travel Project Stage 4 due noon

Reading: Theological Questions 6.1 The historical context of 20th century Christian theology

Presentation: Karl Marx

Screen notes: Major Documents of Vatican II

Wednesday, April 17, How does faith hold up to reason in the 20th century?

Reading: Theological Questions 6.2 Faith and/or reason?

Presentation: Richard Dawkins

Presentation: New Age Movement

Screen notes: Faith and Reason

Week 14, April 22-24, 20th Century 2

Monday, April 22, Is Christianity useful?

Wednesday, April 24, What can I do to make it more useful?

Final

Final Review and Exam

Monday, April 29, Review for Final Exam and Course Evaluations

Travel Project Stage 5 due noon

Wednesday, May 1, Study Day (no class meeting)

Final Exam

Day and time announced by Registrar, Bring midterms

  • Section G (normally 12:20) Final Exam: Wednesday, May 8, 11:30am–2:00pm
  • Section H (normally 1:45) Final Exam: Monday, May 6, 3:00–5:30pm
  • Full Schedule