UCOR Section Descriptions

Course Description

How do my theological beliefs and disbeliefs relate to my life in society? What does it mean to live a "moral life" in a world of exquisite beauty that also is brutalized by racism, a soul-shattering gap between rich and poor, gender inequity, and "ecocide"? What is my vision for a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world? In what God or ultimate reality do I disbelieve? In what God or ultimate reality do I believe? Where do I find hope and moral power? Students will explore these and other questions through the lens of Christian theological social ethics.

Course Description

This is the study of major world religious traditions, such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, with special emphasis on their inter-religious relationship with Roman Catholicism. The objectives of the course are to introduce students to the academic discipline of theological and religious studies, and to understand the tenets and history of Catholic traditions through the dialogical relationship with other religions.

Course Description

Through the lens of Ferguson Uprising, this course argues that BLM is a rejection of the popular myth of King and the Civil Rights movement and an extension of the tradition of Black Liberation Theology. A careful re-reading of Martin Luther King offers both a corrective to a mythological narrative and sets the stage for critical assessment of a contemporary social movements and theological reflection. Both BLM and MLK will be viewed through the work of womanist and Black Liberation Theology.

Course Description

Perspectives on Jesus explores Jesus' identity and his meaning for the people of his day as well as in the present. We will try to understand what drew people to Jesus and why he has continued to inspire so many even today. To do this, we will begin with the Christology of the New Testament but will move into how Jesus' identity and significance are interpreted in more recent theological reflection and in artistic representations. We will give attention to the influences of culture and gender on how people interpret Jesus' identity and meaning and consider the social justice implications of these views.

Course Description

This course will focus on understanding human sexuality as a socially constructed reality that also implies respect for universal human values. Human experiences of sexuality will also serve as a point of departure for exploring Catholic theological questions about God and spirituality. Students will consider the meanings of love and justice as they are relevant to sexuality in the context of diverse cultures and institutions. Special attention will be given to feminist, queer, and cross-cultural perspectives.

Course Description

This course explores the development of select doctrines in the history of Catholic theology (including the status of women and the problem of war) in order to show how Catholic theology is frequently shaped by political alliances, philosophical systems, and social biases. We emphasize questions surrounding the humanity and divinity of Christ, the problem of war, the problem of Christian anti-Judaism, the doctrine of the church, the doctrine of salvation, and the doctrine of the Eucharist.

Course Description

Perspectives on Jesus explores Jesus' identity and his meaning for the people of his day as well as in the present. We will try to understand what drew people to Jesus and why he has continued to inspire so many even today. To do this, we will begin with the Christology of the New Testament but will move into how Jesus' identity and significance are interpreted in more recent theological reflection and in artistic representations. We will give attention to the influences of culture and gender on how people interpret Jesus' identity and meaning and consider the social justice implications of these views.

Course Description

This is the study of major world religious traditions, such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, with special emphasis on their inter-religious relationship with Roman Catholicism. The objectives of the course are to introduce students to the academic discipline of theological and religious studies, and to understand the tenets and history of Catholic traditions through the dialogical relationship with other religions.

Course Description

This course explores the development of select doctrines in the history of Catholic theology (including the status of women and the problem of war) in order to show how Catholic theology is frequently shaped by political alliances, philosophical systems, and social biases. We emphasize questions surrounding the humanity and divinity of Christ, the problem of war, the problem of Christian anti-Judaism, the doctrine of the church, the doctrine of salvation, and the doctrine of the Eucharist.

Course Description

This course will introduce students to some of the primary characteristics of Ignatian spirituality and the ways in which this spiritual heritage has shaped the approach of Jesuits and others to education, the arts, issues of social justice, and interreligious dialogue.