TH 1301, Introduction to Theology

Fall 2025, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:20 (Section I) and 9:20 (Section J) in Reinbolt 201

Instructor: Dr. Todd Hanneken, thanneken@stmarytx.edu, 210-431-8050 Office hours in Zoom (https://stmarytx.zoom.us/my/thanneken) and Reinbolt 303a, Mondays 11:15-1:15, Tuesdays 11:10–1:00, Wednesdays 11:15-1:15, Thursdays 11:10–1:00, Fridays 11:15-12:15, and by appointment through RattlerNavigate, email, or Canvas messaging.

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the academic study of theology in Christian traditions, engaged with other traditions. The course introduces students to fundamental ideas, terminology, cultural contexts, literature, and texts that hand down human questions and understandings of God and what it means to be God’s people. This course fulfills the core requirement for a first theology course. Dr. Hanneken’s sections in particular explore the enduring questions of the Jewish and Christian traditions, from ancient Israel to the world today. The variety of views will be explored in their historical contexts. We will also explore the variety of ways in which we go about asking questions and seeking meaning.

Required Course Materials

Todd R. Hanneken, Theological Questions (Atla Open Press 81; Chicago: Atla, 2025). https://thanneken.github.io/TheologicalQuestions/

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the interconnectedness of societies, cultures, and human behavior (intercultural knowledge), as well as the changes and differences in the human understanding of God across time and cultures.
• Identify the relevance of the historical contexts of major documents and events in Christian history.
• Demonstrate understanding of the questions that people have asked about who they are in relationship to God and what God expects them to do.
• Understand and articulate the role of principled belief in pluralistic dialogue with people from other denominations, traditions, and religions.
• Demonstrate ability to use the words humans, especially in the Jewish and Christian traditions, have found helpful when talking about God.
• Be prepared for a second theology course, which will dig deeper into an area of inquiry in the intellectual tradition of the Marianist founders of St. Mary’s University.

Activities and Responsibilities

Quizzes: The quizzes are designed to gauge comprehension, analysis, and retention of readings and lectures. There is emphasis on learning from mistakes, so there will be opportunities to answer questions again (or modified versions). Whenever you don’t know something, go back to your notes or the reading to identify what you misunderstood and how to avoid making a similar mistake again. Quizzes can be rescheduled if missing the regular time is unavoidable and the quiz is rescheduled as soon as possible, no later than when the quiz is reviewed in class. For planned absences this generally means taking the quiz earlier than the scheduled time. Quizzes must be taken in the classroom unless alternative arrangements are made.

Exams: The midterm and final exams will be cumulative and will focus on retention, comprehension, and synthesis of points from the quizzes.

Presentation: Each student will make one ten-minute presentation on a topic drawing from a religious tradition other than Christianity. See the Presentation Rubric for expectations and grading scale. The topics are randomly assigned. Switching topics is allowed, but extensions will not be possible. See the Presentation List for assignments, dates, and a brief description of each topic. Note that the presenter should meet with the instructor a week in advance of the presentation.

Evaluation

• 20% Presentation (60 points)
• 27% Quizzes (10 quizzes count, 10 questions each quiz, 8 correct answers expected, 2 bonus, 80 points expected, 100 points possible)
• 20% Midterm exam (40 questions plus 5 bonus questions, 1.5 points each = 60 points expected, 67.5 points possible)
• 33% Final exam (50 questions plus 5 bonus questions, 2 points each = 100 points expected, 110 points possible)
• 113% highest possible overall grade with bonus questions

Course Policy on Academic Integrity

For this class, artificial intelligence does not substantially change the basic principles of academic integrity, study skills, and consequences. Learning with others in real life, humans on the internet, or non-humans on the internet can have benefits within limits.

• Plagiarism includes presenting words that you did not write as if you did write them (especially copy and paste). Plagiarism also includes presenting the ideas of others as if they were your ideas without crediting them to the source. It is generally not necessary to credit ideas you got from lectures, but qualifying ideas as “according to...” can still be helpful if others or you disagree. Use of spellcheck and grammar check can be helpful if it corrects but does not change the expression of your idea.
• Skimming, speed-reading, summaries from large language models, talking to a friend about a reading, etc. can be helpful but can mislead. Skimming for preview or review can supplement but never replaces careful reading. Information about religion from friends, people on the internet, and large language models requires critical evaluation. Large language models can be dangerous because they mask signs of a source at odds with the academic study of theology.
• Use your quizzes to study. Never consult someone else’s answer during a quiz. Never consult graded work for a quiz you have not yet taken. That includes questions and answers from previous semesters, other sections, or the same section if you were granted an extension.
• Although email correspondence is not graded, it can impact the grade through extensions. Presenting false information in email is a form of academic dishonesty. For example, an AI-generated excuse is dishonest if it is not based on reality.

Students will be given an opportunity to explain themselves if a suspicious pattern appears in submitted work. Although plagiarism and copying graded work is sometimes obvious, inability to discuss ideas presented as one’s own is sufficient evidence of dishonesty. A very limited slip of judgment can have limited consequences. The maximum consequence is a zero for the entire category of assignment.

University Policies

What follows until the schedule should be standard for all your classes at St. Mary’s.

This course adheres to the policies and procedures outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog https://catalog.stmarytx.edu/undergraduate/.

This course adheres to the University grading scale. https://catalog.stmarytx.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies-procedures/grades/

This course adheres to University academic policies and procedures. https://catalog.stmarytx.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies-procedures/academic-policies-procedures/

This course adheres to the policies for academic dishonesty and misconduct, as described in the Student Code of Conduct. https://catalog.stmarytx.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies-procedures/academic-policies-procedures/academic-misconduct/

This course adheres to the University attendance policy. https://www.stmarytx.edu/policies/academic-affairs/attendance-policy/

This course adheres to the policies for study days and final exams. There will be two study days during which students prepare for final exams. Classes do not meet during Study Days. All major reports and assignments should be scheduled to be completed before Study Days. Study Days are not to be used as dates on which papers are to be turned in, examinations are to be given, quizzes are to be scheduled, mandatory review sessions are to be held, or for any other class-related activities, other than office hours. Faculty may conduct voluntary review sessions at which no new material is presented on these days. The only exception to the study day policy is for Thursday night classes- Thursday night final exams are scheduled on day-two of Study Days. The final exam schedule can be found at https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/registrar.

St. Mary’s University is committed to providing a safe, equitable, and fair environment where students can pursue academic excellence. Policies and procedures have been developed to foster and sustain such an environment and apply to all courses offered at the university. Students need to be aware of these policies and procedures, which can be found at https://www.stmarytx.edu/policies/.

Please become familiar with these important policies and procedures, which include:

• Nondiscrimination, Sexual and Other Forms of Harassment https://www.stmarytx.edu/about/title-ix/
• Student Accessibility Services https://www.stmarytx.edu/campuslife/student-services/accessibility/
• Human Subjects Research https://www.stmarytx.edu/compliance/research-compliance/

This course adheres to the University Disability Statement. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act, Student Accessibility Services is the designated office responsible for coordinating all accommodations and services for students with disabilities at St. Mary’s University. St. Mary’s University supports equal access of qualifying individuals with documented disabilities to all educational opportunities, programs, services and activities. If you have a documented disability, or a condition which may impact your performance and want to request disability-related accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Student Accessibility Services, located in the Student Counseling Center (in the Center for Life Directions Building) in room 139. Please stop by the Student Accessibility Services Office, call 210-431-5080 or email stmudsts@stmarytx.edu to set up an appointment to meet with the Student Accessibility Services staff.

This course includes student course evaluations. Student course evaluations are one of several methods used to assess the quality of education at St. Mary’s University. At the end of the semester, students will have the opportunity to evaluate the course and instructor. These evaluations are confidential and anonymous. We strongly encourage all students to participate in completing the course evaluations.

This course adheres to the University diversity statement. St. Mary’s University embodies the Marianist spirit of educating the heart and mind. The University draws on the example of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Society of Mary, to create an environment that lets students thrive and where diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential. The intersectionality of our diverse experiences and characteristics are valued in all spaces within our community. Thus, we all must be committed to building an inclusive learning environment that values the individual experiences of every student in this course and where each has an opportunity to learn, engage in dialogue, question, and contribute to their fullest potential.

Preliminary Schedule