Religious Studies and Theology
Description
Minor Requirements
Program Policies
Course Descriptions
Description
The Religious Studies and Theology Program provides students with the
opportunity to explore perennial human questions concerning ultimate
meaning and value. Because of its formative role in Western culture,
Christianity serves as the point of departure for the academic study of
theology; the Catholic tradition provides a
focus because of Trinity's own origins in the mission of the Sisters of
Notre Dame de Namur. Trinity also offers students the opportunity to
study world religions and the interaction between religion and society.
Program objectives for students include:
- To make possible a thoughtful examination and critical analysis of
specific religious beliefs, worldviews, and ethical norms.
- To facilitate students' articulation of spirituality and their own
personal stance toward life.
- To refine each student's moral vision and develop her skills at
evaluating experience, personal and social, within an ethical
framework.
- To enhance a student's capacity not only to understand and respect
religious and cultural diversity but also to elicit a firm
commitment to justice and a sense of responsibility for the larger
society.
The Religious Studies and Theology Program offers a minor to students
in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students who elect to minor in Religious Studies
and Theology may select one of two tracks. The track in Catholic Theology introduces the student to the discipline of
Theology and provides the student with an overview of the various
branches of this discipline in the context of Catholic/Christian
thought. This minor is especially helpful to those students who plan to
do graduate work in Theology or Ministry.
The track for Religious Studies helps students explore
the significant role which religion has played in historical, political
and economic institutions, both in the past and in the present. Through
this exploration, students will be challenged not only to develop a
deeper personal understanding of the interplay between religion and
cultural institutions but also to act on that understanding through interreligious dialogue and works of justice and peace. This track will
also prove beneficial for those students who plan to do graduate work in
Religious Studies or Theology.
The Program in Religious Studies and Theology is an essential part of
the general education curriculum in the College of Arts and
Sciences,
and its courses are designed to complement and support the major
programs offered.
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Minor Requirements
Catholic Theology Track
ONE introductory course in theology:
THE 121 Introduction to Catholic Theology
FIVE additional courses at the 200-level or above. At least three of these
additional courses must have the THE designation
Religious Studies Track
ONE introductory course in religious studies:
RST 101 Religion and Human Experience
FIVE additional courses at
the 200-level or above, at least three of these additional courses must
have the RST designation.
Students should consult with a member of the Religious Studies and
Theology Program once they decide to pursue the minor in order to
determine which track is most appropriate.
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Program Policies
Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the Religious Studies or Theology minor.
CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the Religious Studies or Theology minor.
Grades in Required Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the minor.
Pass/No Pass:
Courses in the minor may not be taken pass/no pass.
TELL Policy:
TELL credits will not count toward the minor in Religious Studies or Theology.
Transfer Credits:
The Religious Studies and Theology Program does not accept transfer credits for the minor; all course work must be completed at Trinity.
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Course DescriptionsReligious Studies Courses
RST 101 Religion and Human Experience
Introduces the student to the study of religion as an academic
discipline: various understandings of religion; methods, the role of
myth, creed and symbol in religious discourse. The course also examines
the expression of religious experience in history as well as
psychological and sociological perspectives on religious experience.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs Area
FLC Area III
RST 210 Religion and Culture
Explores the dialectic that exists between religion and different
aspects of contemporary culture (e.g., between religion and psychology,
economics, politics, feminism, the environment and the media). The
objective is to understand the way in which religious beliefs and
traditions shape our cultural systems and in turn affect religious
renewal.
3 credits
FLC Area III
RST 225 Religion and Women
Examines the nature of the feminist critique of religion, but
especially as this relates to the Christian tradition. The course looks
at the way classic symbols (e.g., God, Christ, redemption/salvation) have
traditionally been construed and studies the creative new meanings being
found in these symbols that originate in theological reflection on
women's experience. Special attention is given to the most recent
contributions of African American and Hispanic women theologians as
well as women theologians from the developing world.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs Area
FLC Area III
RST 245 Religion and Money
Considers the relationship between religion and economics and how
each shapes the other. The course also looks at the significance of
money in contemporary society and examines Christian teaching about
money and economic justice.
3 credits
FLC Area III
RST 250 African-American Religious Experience
Examines the religious life and spirituality of the African-American
community as it has been influenced by social and historical forces in
the U.S. The course also considers the special contributions of
African-American women to the work of the Black church.
3 credits
FLC Area III
RST 265 Religion and Family
Gives an overview of the understanding of Christian churches on
marriage and family. The course also considers traditional and
contemporary understandings of human sexuality and examines
contributions of feminist analysis of church positions on family and the
roles of men and women in families.
3 credits
FLC Area III
RST 290 Religions of the World
Surveys the history of the great religious traditions of the world -- Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, and Islam. Special emphases will be given to the belief systems, ceremonies, and structures of these traditions as they explore the quest for ultimate meaning.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs Area
FLC Area III
RST 302 Religion: Ritual and Symbol
Considers the nature of ritual and symbol and the Christian
sacramental world view. The course also studies the history and theology
of the individual Christian sacraments as well as rituals and symbols of
other major religions.
3 credits
RST 370 Religions of India
Examines the nature and functions of religion in India with an
emphasis on Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions.
3 credits
RST 372 Religions of the West
Examines the nature and function of religion - belief systems,
rituals, and ethical practices of the major religions of the Book:
Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
3 credits
Theology Courses
THE 121 Introduction to Catholic Theology
Explores the Catholic worldview with a focus on the human desire for happiness.
The course considers major doctrinal and moral teachings, and sacramental and
liturgical theology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Belief Area
FLC Area III
THE 201 Introduction to the Old Testament
Examines the Hebrew Scriptures using the tools of contemporary
exegesis; the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which the
texts were written; theological themes of the Pentateuch and historical
books; and the prophetic and wisdom traditions.
3 credits
FLC Area III
THE 202 Acts, Paul, Revelation
Uses the tools of the historical-critical method and examines the
historical setting and theological motifs of Acts, the major themes of
the Pauline Corpus and Revelation.
3 credits
FLC Area III
THE 203 Gospel Traditions
Examines modern critical methodologies and the historical background
of the Greco-Roman world of contemporary Judaism. The course considers
the individual gospels and their interrelationships as well as the
teaching of Jesus and the various dimensions of his ministry, death, and
resurrection.
3 credits
FLC Area III
THE 222 Christian Spirituality
Examines the lives and writings of individuals (e.g., Mother Teresa,
Therese of Liseux, Dorothy Day) and groups (e.g., African Americans,
Hispanics) who have found the Christian tradition to be a significant
way to the achievement of wholeness and integration in life. The course
considers spirituality both as an end and as a specific regimen of
life.
3 credits
FLC Area III
THE 223 Christ, Church and Social Justice
Studies the person and mission of Jesus Christ and the foundation
and growth of the church. The course considers select themes of Vatican II
and examines specific issues related to social justice according to
student interest.
3 credits
FLC Area III
THE 240 Theological Ethics
Introduces the basic principles and norms of the Catholic moral
tradition and considers their application to contemporary personal
issues, social problems and medical issues.
3 credits
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