Distance Learning

Summer Registration Forms

Summer 2013 Distance Learning Semester

May 13, 2013 to August 16, 2013

The following courses are scheduled to be offered through the Distance Learning program, graduate level, for the Summer 2013 semester.

Registration Form - Theology Program

Registration Form - Philosophy Program

For information regarding Required Materials for these courses, please click here.

PLEASE NOTE: Syllabi are being added as they are received.  Note: At the start of the term, the syllabi that are located in the Info tab of your courses in Populi should be considered as the most updated.  Please do not contact any professor about his or her syllabus until May 13th. Prior to that date, all questions should be directed to the Distance Learning Office at 860.632.3015.

Course descriptions for the Summer 2013 semester graduate course offerings are listed below.

Added 3/20/2013 -

THL 514 Theology of the Body (Fr. Augustine Ibok, SMP)
The first part of this course will go through the biblical foundations for the theology of the Body as expressed in the writings of Blessed John Paul II. The second part of this course will seek to relate the Theology of the Body in the practical encounters of life, love and Marriage. This course will end by highlighting how the theology of the body as presented to us through our beautiful Catholic Tradition can enable us promote life and the institution of Marriage today, and how it will help to shape our lives hereafter. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

Added 3/11/2013 -

PHTH 601 Philosophical Problems in Augustine & Aquinas (Fr. Bernard Mulcahy, O.P.)
This course is a sustained look at the contributions of the two greatest philosopher- theologians in the history of the West. Augustine's three pioneering "first"- autobiography: The Confessions; philosophy of history: The City of God; "scholastic" treatise on the Trinity: De Trinitate. The synthesis of St. Thomas - "Following Augustine in theology and Aristotle in philosophy": God and the world; nature and grace; faith and reason.

STD 911 History of Christian Spirituality (Fr. Bernard Mulcahy, O.P.)
The History of Christian Spirituality course is a chronological survey of the outstanding works on Christian spirituality including but not limited to the mystical tradition. The course will rely solely upon primary texts written by the most influential writers from the 4th to the 17th century, including St. Augustine, St. Bonaventure, St. Catherine of Siena and several others. The objective is for students to become familiar with the main concepts and issues in the tradition by becoming thoroughly immersed in the key texts that shape the tradition to this day.

THL 510 Catechism I (Prof. Steven Schultz & Dr. Cynthia Toolin)
This course is being taught by Prof. Steven Schultz and Dr. Cynthia Toolin. This course, the first of a two-sequence series, presents an overview of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Students will read and reflect on the first two parts, “The Profession of Faith” and “The Celebration of the Christian Mystery” in order to grasp its presentation of revealed truth in the light of Vatican Council II and to be familiar with the text as a sure norm for teaching the faith. Through imparting a broad understanding of the whole message of faith, this course is particularly intended to assist those who will be undertaking theological studies as well as those engaged in catechesis. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

Added 3/4/2013 -

SS 603ENG The Gospel of Mark (Dr. Emilio Chavez)
We assume (or have verified) that the author of "the Gospel of Mark" has written a coherent and profound theological and literary presentation of Jesus, with the "Old Testament" and contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations as its background. Our goal, then, is to arrive at an understanding of what this presentation of Jesus is, as its author has written it.

SS 603SP Jesús Como Salvador En El Evangelio Según San Marcos (Dr. Emilio Chavez)
Hemos podido verificar, y por ende, damos por establecido, que el autor del “Evangelio según san Marcos” ha escrito una coherente y profunda presentación teológica y literaria de Jesús, que tiene como trasfondo al “Antiguo Testamento” y las expectativas judías contemporáneas. Nuestra meta, pues, es llegar a una comprensión de esta presentación de Jesús, tal como la ha escrito el autor.

Added 3/1/2013 -

CH 610 Psalms as Christian Prayer (Dr. Daniel Van Slyke)
The course focuses on the Psalter specifically as the prayer book of the Church. Students will explore the Psalms from five perspectives. (1) The historical-critical study of the psalms, including their genre and historical context. (2) The use of the Psalms by New Testament authors, who clearly see Christ as the fulfillment of the prophecies uttered in the Psalter, and continue to pray with it. (3) Christian interpretation of the Psalms throughout history. (4) The use of the Psalms in the sacred liturgy. (5) Spiritual studies and exercises on how to join oneself with the psalmist in the longing for and love of God.

CH 630 Catholic Modernism (Dr. Cynthia Toolin)
This course is an historical study of Catholic modernism. Modernism was an attempt to make the Church relevant to the modern world by making her adapt to it. To that end, we will address the intellectual causes of modernism and its major components. We will focus on the concern with Biblical criticism, anti-scholasticism, faith as action vs. belief, and emphasis on historical process. Our study will include magisterial statements of Pius X concerning modernism and other magisterial statements explaining the correct approach to these focal concerns. We will also have exposure to the works of several important Catholic modernists (e.g., Alfred Loisy, George Tyrrell).

CH 670 Great Personalities in Church History: Saints, Sinners, and Interesting Characters (Fr. Gregory Lockwood)
This reading course surveys a panoply of sources, church fathers, heterodox writers, heretics and saints, men and women, throughout our history. The original works of the writers  themselves serve as the material basis for the class.

CH 676 St. Teresa of Avila (Prof. Kristina Olsen, Ph.D. Cand.)
This course will explore the life, writings and spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila. Teresa's method of prayer and her reform of the Carmelite way of life to foster closeness with God will be emphasized. Her major writings will be studied, including The Book of Her Life, The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle. The historical period of 16th c. Spain will be included in order to understand Teresa's work and life from within her context.

CH 682 Islam through Catholic Eyes (Msgr. Michael Witt & Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, O.P.)
This course will endeavor to explore the relationship between Christianity and Islam couched in terms of Nostra Aetate’s statement that "the Church regards with esteem also the Moslems" and compare this relationship with the myriad ways in which Catholicism has encountered and continues to encounter Islam in the world. In addition to exploring Catholic writings on Islam, the course will encounter Islam in its own words with texts from the Qu'ran and with both didactic and creative literature written by Muslims.

CH 706 Early Popular Christian Literature (Fr. Gregory Lockwood)
This graduate level course concerns the wider tradition of Christian writings in the initial stages of the history of the Church.  Much material that was not considered canonical by the official Church was, nonetheless, very influential in the development of our theology, catechesis, apologetics, polemics, liturgy, and daily life within the larger society.  The variety of material and viewpoints represented in this corpus of literature lead one to also acknowledge the great diversity of the early Church in many areas of theological thought and practice.

STP 715 Edith Stein (Dr. John Finley)
This course will examine the life and primarily the writings of Edith Stein, or as she was later called, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. A brilliant philosopher, Jewish convert to Catholicism, martyr of Auschwitz, and canonized saint, Stein presents us with a twentieth century model of the intimate relationship between the intellectual life and the spiritual life. Over the course of the semester the class will read an account of her life and cultural atmosphere, taking significant breaks at several points to work through some of her own philosophical and spiritual writings. These include her attempt to relate the phenomenological and Thomistic traditions of philosophy, her account of the nature and vocation of woman, her articulation of human spirituality, and her discussion of the ways in which we can know God.

CH 720 Introduction to the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger (Dr. Jared Goff, Ph.D.)
This course is an introduction to the major themes, methodology and insights presented in the writings of Joseph Ratzinger: the theologian who became Pope Benedict XVI. This course will survey Ratzinger’s thought through a careful and in-depth consideration of his major works. Through this students will discover the coherent, yet dynamic, theological and philosophical vision of Joseph Ratzinger. This will, in turn, shed light on Pope Benedict XVI, as the Holy Father has interacted with contemporary conditions affecting the Church and culture/s. Among the topics that will be treated are: Ratzinger’s apologetics, his approach to fundamental, sacramental-liturgical, biblical and dogmatic theology.

LA 511 Ecclesiastical Latin II (Dr. Philippe Yates)  **Pre-requisite LA 510

Latin is at the root of many modern languages, including large sections of English. Historically it was the language of record and of scholarly discourse in Western Europe. It is also the primary language of the western part of the Catholic Church, which is even called the “Latin Church”. Latin is the normative liturgical, legislative and bureaucratic language of the Catholic Church. Many important historical, philosophical, theological and canonical texts are not translated, and translations are not always reliable. For all these reasons, an understanding of Latin is essential for any in-depth study of western history, canon law, liturgy, theology and philosophy – especially for those who would seek to understand the Catholic Church's contribution to western culture.

This course is designed to build upon LA510 Latin I so that by the end of this course the student will be familiar with the majority of Latin grammar and a significant amount of theological and philosophical Latin vocabulary. It is the second of three courses designed to give the student the skills to read modern ecclesiastical Latin (including that used in the Code of Canon Law) and medieval Latin theological and philosophical documents (such as St. Thomas' Summa). This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.The first two courses combined (LA510 AND LA511) are usually considered a sufficient basis to undertake research degrees in theology1

1DISCLAIMER: this claim must be verified by the student for particular programs. HACS is not liable should any research degree program not accept these two courses as a basis for a theological research degree. Students should verify if programs require achieving certain grades in these Latin courses.

LA 512 Ecclesiastical Latin III (Dr. Philippe Yates)
Latin is at the root of many modern languages, including large sections of English. Historically it was the language of record and of scholarly discourse in Western Europe. It is also the primary language of the western part of the Catholic Church, which is even called the “Latin Church”. Latin is the normative liturgical, legislative and bureaucratic language of the Catholic Church. Many important historical, philosophical, theological and canonical texts are not translated, and translations are not always reliable. For all these reasons, an understanding of Latin is essential for any in-depth study of western history, canon law, liturgy, theology and philosophy – especially for those who would seek to understand the Catholic Church's contribution to western culture.

In this course we are transitioning from learning the grammar and basic vocabulary to putting it into practice in translating significant texts of ecclesiastical Latin. This course is designed to build upon LA510 Latin I and LA511 Latin II so that by the end of this course the student will be confident in being able to understand any Latin text and especially comfortable in dealing with those texts important for theology, philosophy and Church history.  This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

LA 521 Greek II (Prof. John Hornyak, Ph.D. Cand.)  **Pre-requisite LA 520

Introduction to Biblical Greek II will build upon the foundation laid in LA 520 Greek I, emphasizing basic grammar and vocabulary drawn from philosophic and biblical Greek texts. The course will provide students with a basic understanding of the Greek language and a working vocabulary of words and terms used in both Attic and Koine dialects. Each lesson will contain relevant contemporary resources, etymological examples, and historical background, and biographical vignettes. This course is a prerequisite for Greek Readings. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

LA 522 Biblical Greek III (Prof. John Hornyak, Ph.D. Cand.)
The third in a series of courses on Koine Greek, this course continues the exploration of the language with selections from the New Testament, Septuagint, and Early Christian Writers. Students will have the opportunity to revisit basic Greek grammar as well as becoming acquainted with new vocabulary and etymology. Short, project-based assessments are designed to help each student build a personalized Linguistic Toolkit to aid further study/ministry. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

LIT 616A Eucharistic Theology (Dr. Daniel Van Slyke)
The Second Vatican Council prescribes that sacred liturgy, at the heart of which is the Most Holy Eucharist, "is to be taught under its theological, historical, spiritual, pastoral, and juridical aspects” (Sacrosanctum concilium §16). This course responds to the Council's call by offering a thorough study of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist from the perspectives of sacramental theology, the development of doctrine, liturgical history, spirituality, liturgical law, and recent pastoral initiatives of the Magisterium.

PHL 502 Epistemology (Dr. Philippe Yates)
Aristotle stated that “All men by nature desire to know” and he believed that this desire could be realized. When the Delphic oracle proclaimed that “No man alive is wiser than Socrates”, Socrates interpreted this to mean that he was wisest because, whereas others thought they knew, he alone knew that he did not know (Plato, Apology, 21-23). What is knowledge? Is it possible to know? What is it possible to know? How is it possible to know? These are the questions researched in epistemology. This course will give an insight into classical answers to these questions and give students the tools to devise their own responses. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

PHL 510 Philosophical Anthropology: On Human Nature (Dr. Ronda Chervin)
In this course you will study human nature from the perspective of the perennial tradition of Catholic philosophy, as well as that of Catholic phenomenological and existential insights.  This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit. Assignments will be for both undergraduate and M.A. students with additional work assignments for M.A. Students listed each week when so designated.

PHL 590 Metaphysics (Dr. Timothy Smith)
Topics include the metaphysics of Aristotle; presuppositions of metaphysics (incorruptibility of the human soul / proof of Prime Mover); the subject matter of metaphysics; the scandal of generality; substance and essence; from finite to Infinite Being; the nature of existence; the names of God. This course will include an online participatory live discussion component.  Students unable to make the live sessions at the time chosen by the majority would be able to fulfill the participation requirement by listening to the podcast of the talk and posting a response to it in the discussion area. This course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

PHL 630 Contemporary Philosophy (Dr. Randall Colton)
This course introduces the thought and texts of principal philosophers from Kierkegaard to the present. The course is divided into five sections, beginning with Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. In the next three sections, we examine three prominent schools of twentieth- century thought: analytic philosophy, phenomenology, and pragmatism. The course ends with Thomistic responses to and interactions with these schools of thought. Focusing especially on the relation between the principles of intelligibility and being, the course examines topics in anthropology; ethics; language, epistemology, and truth; and first principles.

PHL 635 Phenomenology (Dr. John Finley)
This course has two aims. First, it will introduce students to phenomenology as a way of doing philosophy, and in particular, as a study of human experience. Insofar as we experience things of whatever sort—objects, feelings, other people—and experience things in different ways, close attention to our experience of things reveals not just the things themselves, but also we ourselves as knowers. Phenomenology, therefore, will help us better understand the world we encounter and we who encounter it. During the first part of the semester, by way of achieving this first goal, we will use Robert Sokolowski’s Introduction to Phenomenology, a very clear and accessible text describing what phenomenology is, how it works, and what important possibilities it contains for the life of philosophy.

The course will, secondly, introduce students to the actual writings of the most important figures in the history of phenomenology, beginning with Edmund Husserl and continuing with such thinkers as Edith Stein, Dietrich von Hildebrand, Martin Heidegger, Hans Georg Gadamer, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Hannah Arendt, and Emmanuel Levinas. We will conclude with a look at some links between this tradition of phenomenology and the thought of Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II). Since most of these original writings are somewhat dense, Sokolowski’s book will prove quite helpful, as it explains the key terms and concepts employed by the phenomenologists.

PHL 723 Plato’s Republic (Dr. Richard Geraghty)
The goal of the course is to provide students with the opportunity of reading closely Plato's Republic. Our approach will be that of a Catholic investigation one of the great seminal works of philosophy. Since the Church has a tradition of faith and reason by which man flies to the fullness of truth, we will be trying to give the wing of reason a good work out. A good way to start is with the pagan Plato (428-348 B.C.) who was taught by Socrates (469-348 B. C.) and was the teacher of Aristotle (384-322 B. C.). St. Augustine (354-430) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) were deeply influenced by then in the construction of their theology. Both saints did great work in articulation the tradition of faith and reason. We are blessed with the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. The Apology will serve as the lead off, the Republic as the main course, and The Right Way to Live as a contemporary account. The point of concern is what you make of your reading, not with what critics say. It is you that is looking for a philosophical habit of mind. To do that you have to take your own reading seriously in order to get a solid hold on the tradition. Once you have a solid hold on the texts, you will be in a better position to judge the remarks of critics.

PHTH 530 Natural Theology (Dr. Randall Colton)
An introduction to the philosophical study of God’s existence, attributes, and operations.  After considering the nature of natural theology itself and some objections to it, we will investigate St. Thomas’s five ways to demonstrate God’s existence as well as some other arguments to the same conclusion; and finally, after briefly considering atheism, we will finish with a survey of God’s attributes and operations.

PHTH 600 Philosophy for Theologians (Fr. Brian Mullady, O.P.)
This course is designed to give the students a comprehensive knowledge of basic terms and ideas from philosophy which the Catholic Church has used to explain theology.

PHTH 608 The Gospel of Life and the Culture of Death (Dr. Donald DeMarco)
This course examines the meaning of the culture of Life and the Culture of Death, together with the tension that exists between them.

Pope John Paul II’s encyclical, The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae) explores the factors that have led to the present Culture of Death and the moral issues that are involved:  “In our present social context, marked by a dramatic struggle between ‘the culture of life’ and ‘the culture of death,’ there is a need to develop a critical sense, capable of discerning true values and authentic needs.”  At the same time, this encyclical expresses the way and the hope for generating a Culture of Life.

Architects of the Culture of Death (DeMarco and Wiker) provides biographical and philosophical profiles of 23 “architects” whose ides have contributed to the present Culture of Death.  Whereas The Gospel of Life speaks in a general way, Architects names specific individuals, together with their idiosyncratic ideas that have helped to form the present Culture of Death.  In this way, The Gospel of Life and Architects of the Culture of Death offer a complementary view of the current problem concerning the clash of two cultures.

There are several factors that are important for the student to understand in order to assess the present problem.  Chief among these factors are:  life, freedom, truth, reason, will, law, personhood, love, realism, virtue, marriage and the family.  The course syllabus provides a series of 12 questions for the student to think about as he reads the two required texts along with ancillary suggested readings.  In this way, the student is well prepared to write the course’s three essays and display the “critical sense” of which Pope John Paul II speaks.

PHTH 610 Arabic Philosophy (Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, O.P.)
The medieval period opened an explosion of learning through translations both of Eastern Church fathers and of Aristotle. The challenge for Catholic Scholastics from Boethius to Thomas Aquinas was to reconcile faith and reason, and they turned for help to the writings of Islamic and Jewish philosophers who had already wrestled with this question. This course will provide an understanding of the historical and systematic development of philosophy as an aid to theology produced in the Arabic-speaking world during the classical period of Arabic scholasticism from al-Kindi (in the early 9th century) to Ibn Rushd (in the late 12th century).

PHTH 616 Authentic Virtue in the Context of Christian Personalism (Dr. Donald DeMarco)
The purpose of this course is to help the student to distinguish between an authentic or true virtue and the counterfeit variety that is all too common in our contemporary secular world. The basis for a true virtue is love, which is the heart of virtue. Counterfeit virtues, on the other hand, are often rooted in immediacy, expediency, and simplicity, if not in the 7 deadly sins. Love is also at the heart of human personality. By cultivating virtues that are based on love, one develops his personhood. The authentic person, therefore, is one who has cultivated authentic or true virtues so that he is able to love easily, effectively, and joyfully.

Personhood is real; it is who we are. The first act of a person is to love. Virtues give concrete expression to love. The contributions of personalist thinkers, consequently, are essential to this course. We will examine the personalist contributions of Socrates, Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich, Marcel, Maritain, Berdyaev, John Paul II, and others.

Personhood, love, and virtue are integral. And consequently, authentic virtue has no root. The secular world’s obsession with unregulated freedom is often at odds with the obligation to be a person. Freedom, therefore, is contextual and operates within real limits. We are not free to be gods.

Without personhood, love has no basis. While love is a universal capability, the notion of what it means to be a person has been developed in the modern world largely by Christian thinkers. This is no doubt due to the fact that Christianity regards the human being as a person whose most fundamental act is to love. By person, we understand the human being (in both a philosophical and Christian sense) as a dynamic unity between unique individuality and communal responsibility.

PHTH 619 Atheism and New Atheism (Drs. Ronda Chervin & Sebastian Mahfood, O.P.)
This course will be team taught by Dr. Ronda Chervin and Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP. The first part of the course will deal with the many forms (literary, analytic, scientific, existentialist, Freudian,  Marxist, etc.) of atheism that began to flourish in the 19th century and gained ground in the 20th century. This will provide the context for the second part of the course, which will focus on how the new atheism is confronting today's world in the attempt it is making to secure political power in its assault against faith. The course will provide adequate ways in which Catholic leaders might respond to this onslaught.

PHTH 725 Recent Catholic Philosophies (Dr. Alan Vincelette)
This course introduces the student to several important Catholic philosophers of the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries. These thinkers responded to the cultural, scientific, philosophical, and theological ideas of the times, and defended the philosophical underpinnings of the Catholic faith. Along the way they also achieved much acclaim inside and outside the Catholic Church, including attaining major academic positions, winning academic prizes and election into academies, and receiving invitations to famous lecture series. Among the thinkers whose thought we will examine are Bautain, Günther, Chateaubriand, Schlegel, Lequier, Rosmini, Brownson, Kleutgen, Mercier, Gratry, Blondel, and Newman in the nineteenth-century; and Scheler, Stein, Von Hildebrand, Henry, Spaemann, Gilson, Maritain, John Paul II, Rousselot, Rahner, Lonergan, de Lubac, Nédoncelle, Lavelle, Marcel, Guitton, Anscombe, Taylor, Rescher, MacIntyre, Haldane, Marion, Lacoste, and Desmond in the twentieth-century.

PHTH 998 Bonaventure of Bagnoregio: Minorite, Master and Mystic (Dr. Jared Goff)
Today St. Bonaventure is most known for his contributions to mystical theology. However, when Pope Sixtus V in 1587 declared Bonaventure a primary Doctor of the Church, he based his judgment, primarily, upon Bonaventure’s scholastic writings. In accordance with this judgment, this course’s point of departure will be the key scholastic writings of Bonaventure, composed during his years as a Master of Theology at the University of Paris (1254-1257). Topics of consideration will include: Bonaventure’s epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of nature and person, natural theology; his theory of freedom and personal action; his Christology, theology of the Trinity, as well as, the relationship between philosophy and the arts to theology. This course will show how Bonaventure’s wisdom theology influenced and continues to influence the life and teachings of the Church: instanced in our own day in the person of Pope Benedict XVI.

PST 635 ‘Holy, Fallen and Redeemed:’ A Theological Study of Catholic Spiritual Identity & Faith Formation (Prof. Marc Tumenski, Ph.D. Cand.)
Our goal for this course is to come to a deeper understanding of faith and spiritual development.  We will explore ways of fostering lifelong intellectual, moral, affective, pastoral, social and spiritual development in Catholic Faith and practice:  “to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). We will consider this topic in light of Revelation (Holy Scripture & Tradition) and Magisterial teaching.  In particular we will study Catholic dogma concerning the nature of man, faith, vocation, ecclesia, prayer and koinonia. We will look at the topic against the backdrop of our own faith and spiritual journey as well as that of others, including students, catechumens and other learners.

The course draws on selected readings, writing, online discussion, audio & video presentations, reflection and prayer to achieve these objectives. Our learning together will help bring us to the heart of personal as well as communal identity and formation in light of our shared faith.

SS 631 Hebrews (Fr. Randy Soto)
In order to facilitate the study of the Theology of the Priesthood in the Letter to the Hebrews, our course has been structured in four modules. The first two modules are geared to illuminate the Sitz im Leben in which the New Testament Priesthood springs forth. The third module is intended to help the students meditate via Lectio Divina the contents of the Letter to the Hebrews. Finally, the fourth module seeks to establish the relationship between the Priesthood of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood in the Catholic Church.

SS637 New Testament Themes: Ministry and Vocation in the New Testament (Fr. William Mills)
This survey course will consider, in a practical and pastoral way, the ministerial themes of calling, discipleship, vocation, ministry and serving as they appear in the New Testament.

SS 648 Gospel of St. John (Fr. William Mills)
This course is an in depth study of the Gospel of John taking into consideration the historical, religious, and cultural background of this rich and inspirational gospel.

SS 654 Wisdom Literature (Fr. Randy Soto)
This course invites the student to engage in a literary and theological study of the wisdom books of Job, Proverbs, Sirach, Qohelet, Psalms and Song of Songs. Therefore, the student will be introduced to the Sitz in Leben of the Near Eastern Wisdom; as well as to the Jewish practice of using Wisdom as means of teaching the meaning of life, suffering, death, through prayer and popular sayings. Finally, the student will be able to recognize Wisdom ways of teaching in the life and the ministry of Jesus Christ and the Apostolic Church. These overall frame is aimed at assisting each student to not just learn about Wisdom in the OT but to bring it to life in their lives.

SS 669 Paul’s Pastoral Letters: Timothy & Titus (Fr. William Mills)
This course is an in depth study of Paul's Pastoral Epistles: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.

SS 675 Book of James (Prof. Kelly Anderson Ph.D. Cand.)
In his encyclical Verbum Domini, Pope Benedict XVI quotes Dei Verbum 12 five times,indicating its importance for Biblical study. Further, in his Introduction to the second volume of Jesus of Nazareth, the Pope says that modern Biblical exegesis has scarcely begun to put into practice the vision outlined by the Second Vatican Council.1 This course will seek to implement the vision of Dei Verbum 12 as fleshed out by Pope Benedict in Verbum Domini for our study of The Letter of James. The course will begin with a quick study of Dei Verbum 12 and Verbum Domini 29-49 to understand how the Church is asking us to read, study and exegete the Bible. Then, we will study the person James and the historical background of that time period. Following that, each chapter of the epistle will be examined using the criteria offered by DV, 12. First, we will seek a literal-historical understanding of the chapter. Once finished, we will then seek a spiritual-theological understanding. This is accomplished by interpreting James in light of the content and unity of the Scriptures (canonical exegesis), the living tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith. The goal should be transcending the letter to arrive at a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ and his teachings.

SS 704 The Synoptic Gospels (Fr. Randy Soto)
This course will focus on the Synoptic gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Topics covered include the characteristic features and major themes of the Synoptic gospels and the similarities and differences between them. Priority will be given to the gospel of Mark since most theologians and scholars agree that it is the earliest gospel and the “model” for both Matthew and Luke. Questions regarding the immediate historical, social, and cultural background will also be considered.

SS 706 Letter to the Romans (Fr. William Mills)
This course is an in depth look at Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Next to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Romans is Paul’s most important letters and is essential for understanding Paul’s message to the Church, both in the first century and today.  Students will study themes regarding Church and community life, the issue of slavery and freedom, as well as a variety of other practical and pastoral issues. Questions regarding the historical, geographical, social, religious and cultural background and context will also be considered.

STD 624 Norms of Catholic Doctrine (Dr. Cynthia Toolin)
This course is an introduction to Roman Catholic theology. Topics examined include, but are not limited to, why theology is a science; the nature of subordinate science; how a theological approach differs from, and is similar to, a philosophical approach to God; the role of Scripture, Tradition and the magisterium in theology. Students read portions of the writings of Aquinas (i.e., Summa, Summa Contra Gentiles), Avery Cardinal Dulles, the Pontifical Biblical Commission, Pius XII, and John Paul II.

STD 629 Liturgical History (Dr. Daniel Van Slyke)
Liturgy is one of the most complex and controversial fields of study within the Church today. This course provides a thorough introduction to the sources and developments of sacred liturgy in several historical stages: the Old Testament, early Christianity, medieval Latin Christianity, the period following the Council of Trent, the liturgical movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the revisions of the Roman liturgy following the Second Vatican Council.

STD 802 Ecclesiology and Ecumenism (Dr. Cynthia Toolin)
This course is a doctrinal investigation into:

1. the nature and characteristics of the Roman Catholic Church, its attributes, its structures, its mission and its relation to the world, and
2. the development of Roman Catholic thought concerning ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue since Paul VI.   Special treatment is given to the thought of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

STM 618 Governmental Structures (Canon Law) (Msgr. James Ramacciotti)
Governmental Structures is an investigation of the power of government in the Church, focused in the hierarchical constitution of Church, as found in Book Two of the 1983 Code (cc. 330-572). Envisioned outcomes: an appreciation for the role of Canon Law in the life of the Church; an ability to interpret the law, given the context and subject matter of a particular Canon; a sense of canonical equity as a tool for the work of a shepherd in the Church; an ability to fulfill the function of Church leadership by empowering the people of God in their rights and obligations. Format: audio lectures and posted discussions.

STM 633 Morals and Psychology (Fr. Brian Mullady, O.P.)
This is a specialized course concerning the mutual influence of the life and the emotions of moral practice.  Special emphasis will be given to the nature of the emotions themselves, the repressive and affirmation neuroses, the freedom of the will in neurotics, and the influence of moral practice on the prevention of neuroses.

STM 645 Temporal Goods (Dr. Philippe Yates)
Sacred Scripture expresses a detachment from material goods, yet the Church exists in the world, but is not of the world. The nature of the Church as a society, with the mission given to it by Christ of preaching the gospel message to the whole world, requires it to administer temporal goods in order to fulfill that mission. Thus the Code of Canon Law (c. 1254, §1) teaches that the Church has the innate right to acquire, retain, administer, and alienate temporal goods independently from civil power. It also specifies that the principal purposes for temporal goods are to order divine worship, to care for the decent support of the clergy and other ministers, and to exercise works of the sacred apostolate and of charity, especially toward the needy (c. 1254, §2). This course will help develop an understanding of the Code’s treatment of temporalities at the service of the Church.

STM 653 Theology of Social Media (Dr. Mary Beckman & Prof. Kristina Olsen, Ph.D. Cand.)
For World Communications Day 2010, Pope Benedict XVI invited priests and all those charged with preaching the Gospel to engage the digital world and to employ new media “enthusiastic heralds of the Gospel in the new ‘agorà’ (marketplace) which current media are opening up.”  Students will explore current media, especially social media, for ministry and teaching. Students will actively participate in social media tools for evangelization and teaching. Students will also explore how media is “social” and how this can be used to “introduce people to the life of the Church and help our contemporaries to discover the face of Christ” and nurture the broader Christian Church, local youth groups, classrooms and parishes.

• Explore legal/moral/safety/security issues involving social networking
• Compare/contrast various networking regarding sharing of information without user consent
• Explore one of the newer social medias - Instagram and discuss legal ramifications of their new policy

STM 658 Practical Problems in Jurisprudence (Fr. Luis Luna, MSA)
This course enables students to answer frequent questions they face in their apostolate. Students will be trained in using canon law and the official documents of the Church in their mission.

STM 659 Moral Magisterium of John Paul II (Fr. Brian Mullady, O.P.)
This course is team taught by Msgr. Smith who was an excellent moralist and is dead and Fr. Brian Mullady using DVDs from Msgr. Smith and CDs from Fr. Mullady who is the online professor. Topics in this course include the sacred sources of Christian moral teaching; a correct understanding of human freedom; conscience and its application; "Veritatis Splendor"; "Evangelium Vitae" and Theology of the Body.

STM 675 Theology and Biotechnology (Dr. Hermann Frieboes)
In this course we study recent advances of biotechnology, which have undergone incredible development in the last several years while seeking to improve human health and well-being. We evaluate these advances in conjunction with the rich, ancient wisdom of the Catholic faith, whose primary purpose is to seek human happiness by drawing the human person into union with God. Per Kentucky state regulations, this course is not open to Kentucky residents.

STP 610 Evolution and Catholic Thought (Dr. Don Sparling)
This course blends instruction on the theory of evolution with Catholic thought on this much-debated topic.  Students will cover the scientific topics of variation within species, natural selection, phylogeny, speciation, evidence for and contra to evolution, and the development of organization at the cellular, population and community levels.   In parallel, students will also explore related Vatican II documents, papal encyclicals and other sources of Catholic teaching regarding whether evolution is an 'acceptable' concept within the Church, the distinction between biological and spiritual man, and the uniqueness of humankind.  The course will also provide discussion on Intelligent Design and Creationism.

STP 626 Sexual Ethics (Dr. Cynthia Toolin)
This course is an introduction to Catholic sexual ethics using the work of John Paul II. The students will examine the significant philosophical thought of Karol Wojtyla on this topic in his book, Love and Responsibility. At the same time, they will examine his mature theological thought, as pope, concerning the theology of the body, as found in his general Wednesday audiences. The professor will provide a summary of several major papal documents (e.g., Arcanum, Casti Connubii) to set his work in context. The goals of this course are to communicate the principles of Catholic sexual ethics, and for students to articulate and apply those principles to several sexual topics and to a magisterial document.

STP 640 Medical Ethics (Fr. Luis Luna, MSA)
The starting point will be the background out of which the Catholic Medical Ethics grew. Once the background of the tradition, which originated in the ancient world, is in place, the modern situation and its failure will be described and the contemporaneous need for the religious traditions to exercise their appropriate influence will be affirmed.

STP 650 Business Ethics (Dr. Maciej Bazela)
This course aims at introducing students to ethical issues in business. The course offers timely and comprehensive overview of the most up-to-date ethical challenges in a fast changing global economy. Topics include introduction to philosophical ethics, ethical decision making process, the role of ethical leadership and corporate culture, types of corporate social responsibility, best-in-class approaches to environmental sustainability, globalization, corporate complicity in human rights violations, ethical issue in the workplace, ethics of new technologies, ethics of marketing, corporate governance, accounting and finance. The course uses cases, in-depth study projects and discussion points to help students recognize, address and manage business ethics issues at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. The underlying goal of this course is to promote ethical leadership, personal integrity and social responsibility as hallmarks of a successful and fulfilling business career.

STP 850 Research and Design for Thesis Students (Dr. Daniel Van Slyke)
This course walks students through the process for producing quality academic research papers. Beginning with deciding on a topic, students will progress through the steps of researching and writing. Students will learn how to use online databases and catalogues as well as printed resources, and how to evaluate and choose from among possible sources. Students also will learn how to produce and properly format bibliographies and footnotes. The course is aimed toward and culminates in the production of a quality research paper.