Grace, Christ, and the Spirit LIM 714, Fall 2014

Instructor: Robert Ludwig, PhD Mobile Phone: 773/230-8587 E-Mail: [email protected]

On-Line Office Hours: Students can contact the instructor via e-mail anytime, and they can normally expect a response within 24 hours. However, the instructor will normally be available for phone or email contact with students immediately on Mondays from 5:00 – 7:30 PM Central Time Thursday evenings.

Class Sessions: On-Line, September 1 – December 8, 2014 (Final Essay Due 12/15/14)

Required Readings: • Robert Ludwig, LIM Course Book. Available upon request from Elizabeth Harris at [email protected] • Hans Kung, Great Christian Thinkers (Continuum, 1995). 0826408486. $39.95 list. • Selected Essays posted on Blackboard and in Course Schedule

Suggested Reading: Karen Kilby, Brief Introduction to Karl Rahner (Crossroad, 2007)

Course Description: Today many Christians have little or no understanding of how the New Testament experience became translated into Christian doctrine; many have little or no insight into how Christian theology today understands the dynamics of sin and grace, the notion of salvation, the role of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Spirit as understood by Christian faith. This course is an overview of fundamental Christian theology, as it developed through history, focused on the core doctrines of grace, Christ, and Trinity. In this course, students will pursue an understanding of the Catholic core: how God has been wedded to humanity and creation in Jesus Christ and how we are called to participate in this divine-human communion in and through incarnation and grace. We will explore the experiential foundations of Christian doctrine and see the evolution of interpretation from early centuries to the present. Much of the course will explore contemporary, pastoral understandings of Christian doctrine: How might we understand and explain the Catholic core in our ministries on the ground today? We will move between experience and doctrine and back to experience, helping students gain insight into both as they come to understand the dynamic process that leads from experience to doctrine—and, in theology, back again to experience and to ministry.

The course begins with a study of the historical evolution of Christian doctrine, beginning with the Apostle Paul (“the first Christian theologian”) and then to Origen. At the beginning of the 4th century, the status of Christian faith took a dramatic turn when it became legitimated and made legal by the Emperor Constantine. Thus begins the rise of “the imperial Church” the context for the first seven ecumenical councils, wherein

1 key Christological doctrine was set. We study St. Augustine, “the father of Latin Catholic theology,” whose influence on the tradition since is difficult to overstate. In the thirteen century, a somewhat radical challenge emerges in Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan theologians (in particular, John Duns Scotus). We then look at the thought of Thomas Aquinas, the Dominican theologian whose thought would shape Roman Catholic thought through the Reformation and well after—even up to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The Reformation is considered by reference to Luther and other Reformers and to the Catholic response in the Council of Trent. Due to the shortness of time, we leap to the 20th century and the teachings of Vatican II. Thus concludes our historical survey of Christian doctrine and theology. In addition to the Course Book, the primary text for this historical survey is Hans Kung’s Great Christian Thinkers, with additional readings available on Blackboard for download.

The remainder of the course is focused on contemporary theological understandings, primarily the thought of the great German Jesuit, Karl Rahner, whose influence during and after Vatican II is steady. We will also consider a variety of theological developments described by Elizabeth Johnson in her book, Quest for the Living God.

Instructors’ Expectations/Course Requirements/Grading Standards:

• LEARNING OUTCOMES: Ø The two most important learning outcomes: (1) Insight into the connections between lived experience and doctrine, between Christian faith and how that faith is explained in different historical and cultural contexts—the process involved in the emergence of doctrine and how theology morphs Christian understanding of that doctrine through the centuries and in various cultural contexts—the first critical learning for students. (2) The ability to understand and relate the fundamental theology of Karl Rahner for faith and ministry contexts today—the second critical learning outcome for students in this course.

Ø In order to accomplish the above, students will need to develop some strategic and procedural knowledge. They will learn to think about how faith pushes towards understanding, articulation, and connections with how one understands self, others, and world—how religious experience compels its appropriation and integration, and ultimately expresses itself in ecclesial forms. Students will discover the tools of historical theology and correlation—the dynamic of revising theological understanding in the light of new ways of thinking and understanding in changed historical-cultural contexts—and the hermeneutical task of translating their meaning into present contexts.

Ø Utilizing these methods, students will gain a sense of the evolution of Christian faith from the Apostle Paul and churches that grew up in the Jewish Diaspora in the first century, to the Hellenistic world in Greco-Roman cities, to the establishment of Christianity as official religion of the Roman Empire and the emergence of “the Latin Catholic paradigm” (Kung) in Augustine and Thomas,

2 then the great challenge to that doctrinal model in up the Reformation and the emergence of modernity. Here students will see an evolution of faith according to changing cultural contexts. • Finally—and not unimportantly—students will learn to “translate” ancient truths into their own contexts by thinking about their own experience and the world of the faith communities in which they minister or plan to minister.

• Please thoughtfully consider the chart below, where the learning goals for this course are carefully outlined. Understanding the course goals and pursuing the course competencies are the main tasks of each student.

Thinking about Competencies

Strategic Knowledge • The strategy of “critiquing present presuppositions and The thinking strategies and processes assumptions” about fundamental categories in faith: students will need to develop in this course How to retrieve past understandings by discovering them in their original historical contexts and assessing the gains and losses as the tradition morphs its understandings of the human, the world, salvation, and God

• The strategy of translation: How to connect the

meanings and values manifested in earliest Christianity to the present day contexts of faith and ministry

Procedural Knowledge • Historical-critical theology, contextual correlation, and Procedures, techniques, and methods the science of hermeneutics (how faith experience and taught in this course theological understanding connect) • Assessment and critical thinking in theology— developing criteria and process for evaluating strengths and weaknesses in theological expression

Factual Knowledge • Factual understandings of Christian doctrine Knowledge of facts, details, concepts, and interpreted in key historical moments resulting in terminology that students will become theological paradigms: the Greek Fathers, Augustine, familiar with in this course Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, the Council of Trent, and 20th century theology, especially the thought of Karl Rahner

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• EVIDENCE: Students will demonstrate these competencies through their active participation in class and in their written assignments—as described below.

o Weekly Participation on Blackboard’s Discussion Board: It is very important that students attend to their on-line learning by doing the required readings, participate actively in the threaded discussions, and develop informed and thoughtful postings as described in the Course Schedule.

Your questions and comments in the threaded discussions and your essay postings and responses provide evidence that you are, in fact, developing the competencies and accomplishing the learning objectives outlined above.

Please Note: If you need to absent yourself from active participation in the course at any time due to illness or other important reasons, you need to contact the instructor by email or on his mobile phone and provide him with an explanation. Arrangements will be made for the student to complete the necessary work and proceed with the course.

Participating actively in the weekly discussions contributes 40 points to your final grade. All students are expected to be engaged in the class, raising questions, contributing insights, and making useful connections between “then” and “now.” Lack of participation in class discussions can seriously affect your final grade. (40 points)

o Major Essays: All students will write three major essays in addition to the postings in the Discussion Board. 1) A 1,000-word essay contrasting the Latin Paradigm (Augustine and Aquinas) with the theology of the Franciscan school— due October 20th at 12 Noon; 2) A 1,000-word essay on the Reformation (including the Council of Trent) and Vatican II—due November 10th at 12 Noon; and 3) A 1,500-word essay on post-Vatican II fundamental theology, including Rahner, liberation theology, and contemporary eco-theology—due December 15th at 12 Noon. Essays 1 and 2 are worth 15 points each, and Essay 3 is worth 30 points. Total: 60 points.

Instructions on How to Write Your Essays: Students are expected to write thoughtful, focused, and well-organized essays. Your writing should be error- free: no misspellings or major grammatical errors. You will be graded on 1) clear focus and organization; 2) how well your essay is informed by the course readings and instructor’s input; and 3) whether or not the essay reflects your own thinking and makes connections to your own faith and your experience in life and ministry.

Ø You should have a clear focus: what is the main thing you want to say in this essay? Your essay should have its own title, imaginatively and succinctly

4 stating the essay’s focus. You should organize your essay around that focus— without rambling off in tangents. (one-third of the essay grade)

Ø Your essay should be well-informed by the readings and the class lectures and discussions—and you should refer to these in the essays. (one-third of the essay grade)

Ø You should also show your own thinking. Finding your own voice is important, so you need to present not just the authors’ views or the instructor’s, but your own: What do you think? (one-third of the essay grade) Ø Use Arial 12 point type-face, 1.5 line spacing. When referring to the required texts, simply do so parenthetically (author, page numbers)—no lengthy quotes from the texts and no footnotes.

Instructor Feedback to Students: Students can expect feedback from the instructor in a timely manner. Written postings will be reviewed and evaluated each week with grades and comments posted in the grading center. If you have questions or concerns about the instructor’s comments, contact him by email: [email protected]

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity Policy: Loyola University New Orleans takes seriously the issues of plagiarism and academic integrity. Below is an excerpt of the university’s statement on integrity. For more information about Loyola’s policy on integrity, check online at: http://www.luc.edu/academics/catalog/undergrad/reg_academicintegrity.shtml The faculty and administration of Loyola University Chicago wish to make it clear that the following acts are regarded as serious violations of personal honesty and the academic ideal that binds the university into a learning community: Submitting as one's own: 1) Material copied from a published source: print, internet, CD-ROM, audio, video. 2) Another person's unpublished work or examination material. 3) Allowing another or paying another to write or research a paper for one's own benefit. 4) Purchasing, acquiring, and using for course credit a pre-written paper.

Statement of Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is an expression of an ethic of interpersonal justice, responsibility and care, applicable to Loyola University New Orleans faculty, students, and staff, which demands that the pursuit of knowledge in the university community be carried out with integrity. Academic dishonesty is characterized by the failure to apply this ethic; i.e., any action whereby faculty, student or staff misrepresents the ownership of academic work submitted in her or his name. A student’s failure to practice academic honesty will,

5 depending upon the seriousness of the misconduct, result in a sanction ranging from the grade of F for the assignment to expulsion from the university.

Boundaries of Academic Honesty and Dishonesty: The following areas are viewed as worthy of consideration by faculty, students and staff as specific expressions of academic honesty and dishonesty: • Papers: Plagiarism is the appropriation for gain of ideas, language or work of another without sufficient public acknowledgement that the material is not one's own. The following acts are regarded as such violations: o Submitting another person's work as one's own; o Submitting a rewritten or paraphrased version of another person's work; o Allowing another or paying another to write a paper for one's own benefit.

Important Suggestions for the Way for Students to Proceed and Succeed:

• Students should read through the syllabus carefully and note the reading and written assignment schedule. This will help you schedule your time as we move through the course.

• Read-Think-Talk-Write: Follow this sequential process as we move along.

Grading Grid:

94-100 = A 90-93 = A- 87-89 = B+ 84-86 = B 80-83 = B-

77-79= C+ 74-76 = C 70-73 = C- Below 70 = F

Writing Standards Policy (Adapted from Louisiana Tech University, College of Business)

Students must demonstrate professional standards in writing if they are to be successful in the professional world. To help reinforce this necessary skill, all written assignments in must meet minimal standards to be acceptable. These standards address spelling, punctuation, basic grammar, and appropriate format. Unacceptable grammatical errors and errors of form include the following:

• misspelled words • sentence fragments • run-on sentences or comma splices • mistakes in capitalization • serious errors in punctuation • errors in verb tense or subject/verb agreement • lack of conformity with assignment format • improper citations ______

6 Reading/Assignment Schedule: Monday-Monday Modules (See “Course Schedule” on Blackboard for Each Module)

Pre-course Introductions (September 1-8) – Course Introduction • Reading: Course Syllabus + Course Book, chapter 1

Session One (September 8-15) – The Apostle Paul, and Origen (The Greek Paradigm) • Reading: Kung, chapters 1 and 2

Session Two (September 15-22) – The Imperial Church and the First Councils • Reading: Course Book, chapter 2, Cohen Article, “Legitimization Under Constantine,” and Summary of First Seven Ecumenical Councils

Session Three (September 22-29) – Augustine’s Fundamental Theology • Reading: Kung, chapter 3, and Course Book, chapter 3, pages 43-50

Session Four (September 29-October 6) – Franciscan Incarnational Theology • Reading: Phillippe Yates, “The Theology of Duns Scotus,” and Seamus Mulholland, “Incarnation in Franciscan Spirituality”

Session Five (October 6-13) – Thomas Aquinas • Reading: Kung, chapter 4, and Course Book, chapter 3, pages 51-59

October 13-20 – No LIM Classes (Fall Break) Students Complete Essay #1 • Essay #1 Due: October 20th at 12 Noon

Session Six (October 20-October 27) – The Reformation and Trent • Reading: Kung chapter 5 + Course Book, chapter 4

Session Seven (October 27-November 3) – Vatican II • Reading: Course Book, chapter 5

November 3-10 – No LIM Classes: Students Complete Essay #2 • Essay #2 Due: November 10th at 12 Noon

Session Eight (November 10-17) – Rahner’s Theology of the Human Person and Grace • Reading: Course Book, chapters 6-7

Session Nine (November 17-24) – Rahner’s Christology and Theology of Trinity • Reading: Course Book, chapter 8

November 24-December – No LIM Classes (Thanksgiving Break)

Session Ten (December 1-8) – Contemporary Theological Understandings • Reading: Course Book, chapters 9-10

December 15: Essay #3 Due at Noon

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