Theology
Theology 101 - Theological Foundations of Christian Culture
This subject introduces the theological roots of Christian culture through a study of the contemporary state of secularized Western culture and the way in which Catholic theology interprets this phenomenon. The theological foundations of culture which are treated include the Incarnation of Christ as the focus of human history; the Church as the extension of the Incarnation in time and the organ of an historical tradition which the Church transmits and renews; an understanding of history as the arena of opposing spiritual forces, guided by Divine Providence; the Communion of Saints as a bond of historical continuity between past, present and future generations; prayer and the Liturgy as the means of maintaining communion with God and participating in the Paschal Mystery.
Theology 102 - The Development of Revelation
This subject introduces revelation in the shared Judaeo-Christian tradition of the Old Testament and its fulfilment in the incarnation, the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as presented and reflected on in the Christian New Testament. Students will be introduced to the topics of canonicity, inspiration, the relationship between Scripture and Tradition, the historical-critical method and contemporary methods of biblical criticism. The content and major themes of the various books of the Old and New Testaments will be treated.
Theology 201 - Sacramental Theology
This subject provides an account of the theological principles governing each of the seven sacraments (Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick) as well as the foundational principles of the associated theological anthropology. More specifically, the subject examines the following: the concept of the fall, original sin and redemption; the human person as Imago Dei; the theology of grace; the relationship between nature and grace; the meaning of redemption; elements of Christian eschatology; contemporary issues in Sacramental Theology such as the situation of those who die unbaptized and the ordination of women.
Theology 202 - Fundamental Moral Theology
This subject involves a study of the theological foundations of Catholic moral teaching. This encompasses the biblical sources of the teaching, the historical development of moral theology and the role of the Magisterium of the Church in authoritative pronouncements on moral questions. Topics treated include moral absolutes, moral development, freedom and responsibility, human sexuality, sin and reconciliation, and the primacy of charity in the life of a Christian. The course also deals with the broader social implications of Christian moral commitment, with extensive references to the defence of human dignity in papal social encyclicals.
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Theology 301 -Theology of the Post-Conciliar era
This subject reviews the Church’s encounter with modernity and post-modernity by a study of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, including an analysis of their theological background and the validity of different interpretations of the Council’s teaching, together with an examination of subsequent teaching, especially in the promulgations of John Paul II and the works of scholars associated with the Communio School.
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Theology 302 - Bioethics and the Catholic Tradition
Bioethics is an interdisciplinary study, relying on knowledge of, and the interaction between, human biology, medicine, moral philosophy and - in the context of a Catholic college-moral - theology. The purpose of this subject is to provide an interdisciplinary account of the ethical issues at stake where medical science and technology impact upon human beings and human society as a whole. This subject will further develop students’ understanding of the variety of ethical approaches on offer, building upon earlier subjects in theology, philosophy and science. More specifically the content examines a range of contemporary ethical issues including: the dignity of the human person and the notion of fundamental human rights; the anthropological and ethical issues involved with genetic engineering, gene therapies, genetic testing, human reproductive technologies and surrogacy; theories of human personhood and their application to humans with disabilities and those at the beginning and end of life; the Hippocratic tradition in medicine; human embryo experimentation; asexual reproduction; cloning and experimentation on human beings; euthanasia, organ transplantation, xenotransplantation and human-animal transgenesis; stem cell technology; and public policy, personal autonomy and choice in decision making.
Theology 303 - Moral and Sexual Integrity
This unit considers human moral development and the integration of sexuality with Christian morality. Human sexuality is considered as an important manifestation of human dignity. Foundational to the course is the belief that sexuality for human persons “concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n.2332).
Theology 304 - Public Morality and Catholic Social Ethics
This course init addresses issues of public morality in contemporary society. Through a detailed study of Catholic social teaching students will analyse the ethical dimensions of a range of public issues.
Theology Major
Completion of eight Theology units constitutes a major.