Semester 1

Canon and Literature of Islam (MELC 60050)

This course is an introduction to the religious literature of the Arab-Islamic world. Emphasis is on works from the classical and medieval periods of Islam, roughly from the seventh to the fourteenth century of the common era. We will read selections from the Qur'an (the sacred scripture of Islam), the Hadith literature (sayings attributed to the prophet Muhammed), the biography of the Prophet, commentaries on the Qur'an, historical and philosophical texts, and mystical poetry. All texts will be read in English translation. No prior knowledge of Islam and its civilization is assumed, although helpful.

Early Christianity (THEO 60121)

This course will consider the origins of Christian non-biblical theological literature, from the time of the New Testament until Origen, in the middle of the third century. By reading a wide selection of complete texts in translation from the period, we will try to develop a sense of how Christian thinkers, in the first two centuries of the Church's history, expressed their emerging sense of the community's distinctive faith and form of life, in tension and dialogue with Judaism, Gnostic religion, and Hellenistic culture, and how the outlines of the tradition of orthodox Christian theology first emerged in this process. Readings will include early Christian poetry and Biblical apocrypha, letters of pastoral admonition, martyr-acts, apologetic literature, and selections from the more theologically ambitious works of Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Origen.

Pauline Writings (THEO 60114)

A survey of the structure, major themes, theology, genres, constituent oral and literary forms and rhetoric of the Pauline letters. A focal text will be J. D. G. Dunn's The Theology of Paul the Apostle (1998), and the course will emphasize Galatians, Romans and 1 Corinthians. "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" will also be read and discussed in preparation for the colloquium on "Rereading Paul Together: The Modern Critical Study and Teaching of Pauline Theology in Educational Ecumenical Context" scheduled for February 1 2, 2002 at the University of Notre Dame.

The Roman Novel (CLLA 60044)

This advanced course offers close reading and detailed study of excerpts from Petronius? Satyricon and Apuleius? The Golden Ass. Ribald and full of comic adventures, these works have much in common with modern picaresque novels. Petronius? Trimalchio, an ex-slave buffoon, and Apuleius? Lucius, a young aristocrat magically transformed into an ass, are two of Latin literature?s most memorable creations. Narrative technique, critical interpretation, and the special perspective on Roman life the works present, are major subjects for discussion in the course.

Introduction to Christian Latin (CLLA 60016 or THEO 60001)
This class has two goals: to improve the student's all-around facility in dealing with Latin texts and to introduce the student to the varieties of Christian Latin texts. Medieval Latin II, a survey of medieval Latin texts, follows this course in the spring term.

Plato (CLGR 60034)

This advanced course offers accelerated reading and detailed study of the philosophical dialogues of Plato, whose writings, often radical and challenging, represent a cornerstone in the Western intellectual tradition. The development of Plato's philosophical ideas in their historical context is a key theme for discussion in the course, and attention is paid to the main features of his prose style in selections of his works.

Syriac Christianity (THEO 83220)

This seminar is designed as a basic introduction to the life and worship of the Syriac family of churches. Syriac churches belong to the Oriental (i.e. non-Byzantine) branch of Christianity. Syriac tradition represents the unique phenomenon of a Semitic Christian tradition that is little affected by Greco-Latin influence. The first part of the seminar will consider the main lines of the historical development of Syriac Christianity: its Judaeo-Christian origins; its distinctive Aramaic versions of the Bible with roots in the synagogue; and the on-going interaction between Syriac liturgical development and Judaism. The second part of the semnar will take up specific topics that define the life and worship of Syriac Christianity: the Liturgical Year, Liturgical Books, Eucharistic Prayers, the Role of Liturgical Poetry, Penitential Incense Rites, Liturgy of the Hours, Origins of Mariology. This seminar will be of interest to students in HC, CJA,LS, and ECS.

Patristics Seminar (THEO 83219)

The book of Psalms has been the center of Jewish and Christian prayer for centuries. No doubt the ability to serve such a role has been conditioned by the fact that the historical background of these prayers have always been refracted through the lens of synagogue or church. In this course we will consider the book of Psalms from two different perspectives: that of their historical origins and canonical role in the Jewish scriptures and their reception in Patristic commentaries and their use in the early Church's developing understanding of itself, its prayer and union with Christ. On occasion, reference will be made to Rabbinic and Medieval Jewish commentaries as well as Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin. Through a close reading of a select group of Psalms we will explore what the theological significance of the Psalter has been and is for modern readers.

New Testament Seminar (THEO 83110)

In the early 1970s Nils Dahl published a small but potent article "The Neglected Factor in New Testament Theology: God." This seminar seeks to un-neglect God in the following ways: (1) Greco-Roman philosophy developed a formula for its god-talk, which is very influential in reading Paul; (2) many NT writers talk about the nature of God: [a] God's two attributes -mercy and justice, and [b] God's two powers-creative and executive; (3) the social sciences are indispensable for considering: [a] "be ye holy as I am holy"; [b] honor, glory, and praise; and [c] patron/benefactor and client. (4) In addition, one must consider God in terms of providence (Acts) and debates over theodicy. (5) Always lurking are issues of God's justice (faithfulness and loyalty). (6) No consideration of God is complete without attention to worship: prayer, sacrifice, doxology. Finally, who else is called "god"? Moses in Exod 7:1, but also Jesus in John and Hebrews. This course then has two foci: un-neglect about what is said about God (survey of documents, themes, etc.) and creative research by seminar members to aid in un-neglecting God.

Synoptic Gospels: Matthew (THEO 60111)

This course aims to assist students in learning to do a critical reading of a gospel, in this case, the Gospel of Matthew. The parameters of this course are: (1) critical investigation of the sources of the gospels, (2) acquaintance with the literary forms which make up the gospels, in particular the elements of the encomium, (3) the literary structure of the gospel in general and the arrangements of its parts, (4) the distinctive understandings of both God and Jesus in the gospel, and (5) knowledge of the historical and cultural background of Jesus and his interpreters. The focus will be on Matthew, but this means that Mark will also be studied, as well as the Q source and materials in Luke that impinge on Matthew (such as genealogy, birth narratives, resurrection appearances). As Virgil said about the devious Greek who tricked the Trojans to take the horse inside the city, "From one example, you know them all." Matthew, carefully studied, equips one to read the rest. (Fall)

The Roman Novel (CLLA 60044)

This advanced course offers close reading and detailed study of excerpts from Petronius' Satyricon and Apuleius' The Golden Ass. Ribald and full of comic adventures, these works have much in common with modern picaresque novels. Petronius' Trimalchio, an ex-slave buffoon, and Apuleius' Lucius, a young aristocrat magically transformed into an ass, are two of Latin literature's most memorable creations. Narrative technique, critical interpretation, and the special perspective on Roman life the works present, are major subjects for discussion in the course.

Plato (CLGR 60034)

This advanced course offers accelerated reading and detailed study of the philosophical dialogues of Plato, whose writings, often radical and challenging, represent a cornerstone in the Western intellectual tradition.  The development of Plato's philosophical ideas in their historical context is a key theme for discussion in the course, and attention is paid to the main features of his prose style in selections of his works.

Plato Christianus (MI 60361)

This course is designed as an introduction to the philosophy of Plato, the "Platonism" (i.e., Middle Platonism, Neoplatonism) of antiquity, the transformation of Platonism by the Greek and Latin Church Fathers, and the medieval and Renaissance traditions derived from the above. In the first half of the semester, we shall survey the tradition as a whole and deal with a variety of general questions. However, particular attention will be given to two fundamental hermeneutic criteria employed by the followers of this tradition: namely, "radical selectivity" and "philosophical allegorization." In the second half of the semester, two specific texts which have arguably set the pattern for the Latin and Greek intellectual traditions respectively will be studied in more detail: Augustine's "On the City of God" and the works of pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. The course is intended to be accessible to students without knowledge of Latin or Greek. Requirement: one final paper of ca. 20 pp.

Christian Theism & Philosophy (PHIL 93402)

How, if at all, does Christian belief bear on the traditional concerns of philosophers? Is there such a thing as Christian philosophy? After considering the bearing of some common views of faith and reason on these questions, we turn to more specific questions in epistemology, ethics, and philosophical anthropology.

Aristotle's Metaphysics (PHIL 83202)

An investigation of the central concepts of Aristotle's philosophy with emphasis on his metaphysics. Aristotelian doctrines will be examined against the background of Platonic and pre-Socratic thought.

Semester 2

Early Christianity Sem: Origen (THEO622)

Most students of theology have at least a general sense of the final stages in the development of the characteristic Christian understanding of the Mystery of God: although its roots clearly lie in the Christian Bible - in Jesus' way of speaking about the God of Israel, and in the conviction of his disciples, after Easter and Pentecost, that the risen Jesus was himself part of the same divine Mystery, and had poured out upon them the Holy Spirit of prophecy who now shared divine gifts with them - the full articulation of the idea that the one God is a Trinity of related persons was only brought to full articulation in the late fourth century, as a result of the controversies over Arianism. In recent years, much scholarly attention has been given to the roots and development of the Arian controversy, and the canonical shape of the narrative of the fourth-century debates has been sharply questioned. Some scholars have argued recently that there was, in fact, little theological continuity between the theories of Arius and those of the "Arians" of the 360s and later; that a variety of theological emphases and concerns also characterize the defenders of Nicaea's approach to the divine Mystery; and that one cannot consider the real intent of fourth-century Trinitarian theology apart from the exegetical methods that underlie it, from its application to Christian anthropology, and from its implied picture of the person of Christ.

In this seminar, I would like to look closely at the development of the classical Christian understanding of God in the fourth and early fifth centuries, by reading both selected examples of contemporary scholarly discussion and the main original texts, in translation, that offer us access to the period. After an introductory session, my tentative plan is to spend the semester discussing texts of the following authors: Arius and his supporters; Marcellus of Ancyra and Eusebius of Caesaraea; Athanasius of Alexandria; Hilary of Poitiers; Eunomius of Cyzicus and the "Neo-Arians"; the three Cappadocian Fathers; Ambrose of Milan; and Augustine of Hippo's De Trinitate. With the help of contemporary scholarship and of our own discussion, we will try to identify continuities and differences, and to reflect on the relevance of these ancient debates for the Church's continuing proclamation of the Mystery of God.

Postclassical Satire (MI 576)

This survey will begin with introductiory readings in classical satire and satiric invective and narrative, and then move on to consider specimens of variety of late antique and medieval texts written in a satiric mode: satire, invective, parody, mock epic, etc., etc. A sound knowledge of Latin is required. Course requirements include in-class reports, an annotated translation, and an interpretive essay.

Advanced Greek: Hesiod (THEO509)

This course will consist of close readings of Hesiod's _Theogony_ and _Works and Days_. Our primary interest will lie in issues of language, but we will also attend to such topics as genre, mythology, oral poetics, the beginnings of philosophical speculation and metrics.

Late Antique & Early Christian Art (ARHI531)

Art in late antiquity has traditionally been characterized as an art in decline, but this judgement is relative, relying on standards formulated for art of other periods. Challenging this assumption, we will examine the distinct and powerful transformations within the visual culture of the period between the third and the eighth centuries AD. This period witnesses the mutation of the institutions of the Roman Empire into those of the Christian Byzantine Empire. The fundamental change in religious identity that was the basis for this development had a direct impact upon the visual material that survives from this period, such that the eighth century witnesses extensive and elaborate debates about the status and value of religious art in Jewish, Moslem, Byzantine, and Carolingian society. This course will examine the underlying conditions that made images so central to cultural identity at this period.

Summer Courses