Experience of Grace, Spring 2008 Professor: Fr. Peter J. Bernardi, S.J. Office: Bobet 410; ~x3941 Office Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, &Fri: 3-4:30pm; and by appointment. E-mail: “[email protected]”

I. Course Description and Goals: Experience of Grace is a course in “theological anthropology,” which is the study of the human person and her ultimate destiny in the light of Scripture and the Christian tradition. Biblical revelation teaches that human beings are created in the “image and likeness” of God; as both graced and yet sinners, we are called to an unheard of union with God that involves a process of transformation, an ever deepening participation in God’s own life [=divinization]. Important topics the course will explore include the experience, meaning, and effects of grace; the human spirit as “exigence for transcendence”; the ongoing task of becoming human and our quest for freedom & authenticity; our struggle to become liberated from addictions & compulsions that enslave us; the proper ‘ordering’ of our desires; loneliness & our need ‘to belong’; the relationship of human nature and grace; sacramental awareness and Ultimate Mystery [God]; the notion of sacramentality and the role of Jesus Christ, the Church and the sacraments as mediations of grace; the mystery of evil and sin; liberationist understandings of grace; the Christian understanding of salvation and its relationship to other religious traditions; the gifts of the Holy Spirit; the witness of the martyrs and the lives of the saints as living embodiments of grace. An interdisciplinary approach drawing on psychology, philosophy, and literature will help students reflect on their own experiences of grace. The course is intended to familiarize the students with the rich tradition of Christian teaching on grace and to deepen their appreciation of its sacramentally mediated and social character. The course especially seeks to promote the students’ awareness of graced experiences in their lives and the sharing of those experiences in class. Experience of Grace is classified as a “pre-modern,” “advanced” common curriculum course within the Humanities/Arts area. A prerequisite for this course is the complete of “Introduction to World Religions.” This course seeks to meet dept. goals III. A,B, C; IV. A,B,C; V.A.

II. Required Texts: , The Long Loneliness Elizabeth Dreyer, Manifestations of Grace [MG] (Liturgical Press, 1990). Flannery O’Connor, The Complete Short Stories (New York: Farrar, et. al., 1971). Jean Vanier, Becoming Human (Paulist pb, 1998). The New American Bible--The New Catholic translation. Handouts: $6 (to be paid to professor); Recommended: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.

III. Course Format and Requirements: A. The class format includes lectures, student reflections, and video presentations. Class lectures and discussions presuppose that the student has studied the material assigned for that class and is prepared to respond to the study guide questions. Students are required to post responses to the assigned readings. These responses will be shared in class. This component of the course is extremely important. Students are encouraged to make connections with previous class readings, with what they have studied in other courses, and with their own experience. A sample assignment will be posted at BB. No late assignments will be accepted--illness excepted (work must be turned in within one class of return). B. Students should subscribe to the listserve and the Blackboard website. To subscribe to the listserve, send the following message to “[email protected]”: “subscribe grace [your e-mail address]”. Let the teacher know, if there are any problems in using the listserve. The syllabus (and revisions if necessary), course readings, study tips for exams, external links, and other useful materials will be posted at the BB website. C. Attendance Policy: Regular, on-time class attendance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for passing the course. Every absence beyond 4 absences will result in a one grade reduction per absence; more than six absences for any reason is grounds for an automatic failure. Every two instances of being late will be treated as an absence. Perfect & Punctual attendance will be rewarded by a point on the final grade. Students running late should enter by the rear door of the classroom so as not to disrupt the class in progress. In the event of class cancelation, students are expected to stay current with assignments-check BB website for adjustments. (No food or drink in class) D. Exams and Quizzes: There are two exams. Make-up exams will be given only for serious medical reasons or a family emergency. The teacher should be notified before your absence and a doctor’s note provided upon return. Exams will not be rescheduled to accommodate irresponsible travel planning. There will be several announced quizzes and several unannounced quizzes on the reading assigned for a given class. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. There are no make-up quizzes. A sample quiz can be found at the course website.

E. Discussion Essays: Several essays will be assigned that will serve as a basis for discussion. Assignments should be proofread, neatly typed, double-spaced [1” margins], and stapled. Papers will be penalized that do not follow these specifications and that contain excessive typos and grammatical errors: one grade reduction for every 5 such mistakes. Late papers will be penalized one grade. Faulty printers, unavailable computers, etc. are problems for those who do their work at the last moment and are not legitimate excuses.

F. Grading: 90-100=A, 86-89=B+, 80-85=B, 76-79=C+, 70-75=C, 66-69=D+, 60-65=D, below 60=F. [Discussion Board Posts and Essays: 40%; Midterm Exam=20%; Final Exam=30%; Quizzes=10%]

G. Extra-Credit: Extra credit possibilities will be posted at the website: click “assignments.” Students can earn extra credit by attending specified lectures and writing a 2-3pp. report, making connections with the course readings; these papers should be typed, double-spaced with 1” margins. Students may also keep a journal of reflections on their graced experiences, making connections with course material. To receive credit, this journal should be consistently maintained. Students are allowed a maximum of 2 major xtra credit submissions. Reports are due within one week of the lecture or event. All Xtra credit work must be submitted by Friday, April 25.

H. Academic Integrity: Academic achievement depends upon personal effort and honest evaluation of one’s own work. Honoring this principle of academic integrity brings rewards of personal and academic achievement. Unethical practices, such as cheating and plagiarism (the presentation of another person’s ideas or writings as one’s own), violate a student’s integrity and will result in a failing grade for the course (see the LU undergraduate bulletin, p. 49). IV. Outline of Classes and Assignments. (This schedule is tentative and the professor reserves the right to alter it when necessary.) An asterisk indicates a required Blackboard [BB] discussion board posting; a typed copy of this posting(s) should be brought to class. SGQQ=Study Guide Questions are posted at BB. Readings are posted at BB: course readings unless otherwise noted. Jan 7 Introduction: “The Glory of God is the Person Fully Alive”: What is grace? What is evil? & other questions. Jan 9 Setting the Stage: MG, 9-19 (SGQQ at BB); Paradox of Being Human: Immortal Longings in Mortal Flesh. Jan 11 “Exigence for transcendence”: *“Signals of transcendence” & Frankl citations (BB: ‘course readings’).

Jan 14 What does it mean to be human?: Loneliness and Belonging: *Vanier, 1-68. Jan 16 From Exclusion to Inclusion: *Vanier, 69-103. Part one of video. Jan 18 QUIZ. “The Path to Freedom”: *Vanier, 105-134. Part two of video.

Jan 21 NO CLASS: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday Holiday. Jan 23 Forgiveness: *Vanier, 135-163 and Vanier’s “A Wound Deep in Man’s Heart” (BB: ‘course readings’) Jan 25 QUIZ. Evil and the Power of Sin: *“The Power of Sin” with SGQQ; “Killer’s Tapes...”; “Jonesboro, Ark...” [BB: ‘course readings’ with SGQQ].

Jan 28 *Gerald May’s “Addiction and Grace” [BB: ‘course readings’ with SGQQ]. Jan 30 *Stories of Grace: Flannery O’Connor’s “Revelation” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” [BB: SGQQ] “All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful.” Feb 01 QUIZ. 2-3pp. essay: “My Experience(s) of Freedom, Transcendence, & Grace” [BB: click “assignments”] See ‘Description of Grace’ in MG, 20-38 & Shea essay at BB. Experience and the Reflected Life. Feb 4-8 No Class: Mardi Gras Break

Feb 11 Biblical Perspectives on Grace. *MG, 39-53 [SGQQ]. Feb 13 Biblical Perspectives on Grace. *MG, 54-64 [SGQQ] & Acts 9:1-31 & *Paul’s letters to the Galatians, 2nd Corinthians (c.12), Philippians, and Romans (c. 5-8). Feb 15 St. Augustine: *MG, 65-81 [SGQQ]. The necessity of grace.

Feb 18 St. Augustine: *Confessions (Bk8) & On the Spirit and the Letter [SGQQ]. Video. Feb 20 St. : *MG, 82-103 [SGQQ]. Grace builds on nature. Feb 22 QUIZ. *Selections from Summa Theologica [and explanatory notes].

Feb 25 *Aquinas cont’d. Feb 27 “And all will be well.” *: MG, 104-125 Feb 29 MIDTERM EXAM. Mar 03 *Selections from Julian’s Showings [SGQQ]. VIDEO Mar 05 *Luther: MG, 126-143 [SGQQ]. Mar 07 *Luther’s “Freedom of a Christian” [SGQQ]. [Mid-term grades due]

Mar 10 *“Finding God in all things”: St. & the Jesuit tradition. Video Mar 12 *Dean Brackley’s “The Reign of God vs. the anti-Kingdom: the Ignatian way to spiritual freedom” Mar 14 QUIZ. 2-3pp. essay.[BB: click “assignments”: “Ethos of Jesuit Education” & Blueprint on Faith and Justice and Jesuit educ.; & Goals and Character & Commitment Statements in LU Undergrad bulletin] March 17-24 No Class: Holy Week-Easter Break [Read Dorothy Day’s autobiography The Long Loneliness during the break.]

Mar 26 One story of grace: the life of Dorothy Day: [Mar 27 Video: Entertaining Angels: the life of Dorothy Day] Mar 28 *MG, 144-155 & *“The Decree on Justification” ] & “The Augsburg Signing”(website).

Mar 31 *“Basic Sacraments: Christ, Church, Friendship.” Apr 02 *The Sacraments: Reading TBA; VIDEO: “This is the Night.” Apr 04 QUIZ. *MG, 156-169.

Apr 07 The universality of grace: *’s “supernatural existential”: “The Order of Creation and the Order of Redemption” & “The Experience of Grace” [SGQQ] Apr 09 *“Christianity and Non-Christian Religions” Apr 11 The Human Person Fully Alive. *MG, 170-189.

Apr 14 *“Social Grace: A Liberationist of Grace”; VIDEO Apr 16 *God Came to El Salvador & Martyrs of El Mozote and Maura Clarke & companions. Apr 18 QUIZ. *“God’s Beloved Creation” [BB: ‘course readings’] & video.

Apr 21 “Grace and the Cosmos.” *MG, 190-211. 12min Video: The Earth is the Lord’s Apr 23 *Grace and the Saints [BB: ‘course readings’] & Martyrs: [BB “external links”]. Apr 25 Final essay [details will be posted at website]

April 28 *Grace and Literature. MG, 212-232 & FO’s “Everything that Rises Must Converge.” Xtra credit: FO’s “The Displaced Person” April 30 Wrap-up: MG, 236-240. Recommended: “Grace” by Fr. Duffy; Video: ‘Amazing Grace’

FINAL EXAMINATION: 10:30 class: Mon. May 5, 11:30am; 11:30 class: Weds. May 7, 11:30am.

Faith Perspectives “O God, you are my God--for you I long!” (Psalm 63:1) “I yearn for your saving help; I hope in your word. My eyes yearn to see your promise. When will you console me?” (Psalm 119:81-2)

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John’s Gospel 1:16) “...where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more...” (St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans 5:20) “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians 12:9) “I have the strength for everything through [the Lord] who empowers me.” (St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 4:13)

“The glory of God is a person, fully human, fully alive. And the happiness of the person is the vision of God.” (St. )

“...you have made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you.” (St. Augustine) “[God’s grace] operates, therefore, without us, in order that we may will; but when we will, and so will that we may act, God co-operates with us.” (St. Augustine)

[The human will finds itself in a “middle position” between divine Spirit and fleshly appetite]...”Able to go in either direction, it is, as it were, on the sloping side of a fairly steep mountain.” (St. Bernard)

“God exists in all things by presence, power, and substance (ST, I, 8, 3) “Grace perfects nature.” (St. Thomas Aquinas) “Here I was taught by the grace of God...that ‘all manner [of] thing shall be well.’” (Dame Julian)

"I could well have made human beings in such a way that they all had everything, but I preferred to give different gifts to different people, so that they would all need each other." (God to St. ) “Just as the heated iron glows like fire because of the union of fire with it, so the Word imparts its qualities to the soul.” (Luther)

“Thus, in the heavens, the elements, the plants, the fruits, the cattle, etc., God gives being, conserves them, confers life and sensation, etc...[Consider how] all blessings and gifts descend from above. Thus, my limited power comes from the supreme and infinite power above and so, too, justice, goodness, mercy, etc., descend from above as the rays of light descend from the sun, and as the waters flow from their fountains, etc.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola) “Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: “Let all know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Let people take care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise, and without the cross they can find no road to climb to heaven. ....” (St. Rose of Lima) “A human being knows that s/he is miserable; s/he is wretched because s/he is miserable, but s/he is very great because s/he knows it.” “There are in faith two equally constant truths. One is that a person in the state of his/her creation, or in the state of grace, is exalted above the whole of nature, made like unto God and sharing in God’s divinity. The other is that in the state of corruption and sin s/he has fallen from that first state and has become like the beasts...Whence it is clearly evident that human beings through grace are made like unto God and share God’s divinity, and without grace s/he is treated like the beasts of the field.” (Pensées of Pascal)

"To err is human, to forgive is divine." (Alexander Pope, in "Essay on Criticism" Part II, line 325)

“The World is charged with the grandeur of God...” (G.M. Hopkins)

“Earth’s crammed with heaven and every common bush is afire with God; But only he who sees takes off his shoes, The rest sit around and pluck blackberries.” (Elizabeth B. Browning, Aurora Leigh) “I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of mercy on this day [the Sunday after Easter, the Feast of Divine Mercy]...on that day are open all the divine floodgates through which graces flow,” said Jesus to a Polish girl in 1933, acc. to the diary of the girl, Helen Kowalska, canonized St. Faustina by Pope John Paul II.

"Love all God's creation, the whole and every grain of sand of it. Love every leaf, every ray of God's light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love." (Father Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevski)

“I will spend my heaven doing good on earth.” (St. Terese of Lisieux)

“All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful.” (Flannery O’Connor--see Habit of Being, p.307)

“This communion with God through the Son in the Spirit is in fact a living communion that can be experienced.” ()

“Human nature is ordained to grace...[it] is such that it must look to grace for its absolute fulfillment.” (Karl Rahner)

“The experience which we are appealing to here is not primarily and ultimately the experience which a person has when he decides explicitly and in a deliberate and responsible way upon some religious activity, for example, prayer, a cultic act, or a reflexive and theoretical occupation with religious themes. It is rather the experience which is given to every person prior to such reflexive religious activity and decisions, and indeed perhaps in a form and in a conceptuality which seemingly are not religious at all. If God’s self-communication is an ultimate and radicalizing modification of that very transcendentality of ours by which we are subjects, and if we are such subjects of unlimited transcendentality in the most ordinary affairs of our everyday existence, in our secular dealings with any and every individual reality, then this means in principle that the original experience of God even in his self-communication can be so universal, so unthematic and so ‘unreligious’ that it takes place, unnamed but really, wherever we are living out our existence.” (Karl Rahner) “I want to speak to you of the wound which each one of us has in his/her heart, a wound that is made up of inner dissatisfaction, loneliness, anguish and tears. It is part of our human condition and can be a source of hope....Our heart is made for the limitless, for infinity. But what we see around us is the limited, the finite. I need more than the finite and the limited; there’s this wound of deep dissatisfaction in me which both urges me forward and impels me to flee from reality...Yet in the depths of that wound we can discover the presence of God.” (Jean Vanier)

“Grace is the transformation of human persons under the impact of God’s living self-gift in Christ. This transformation comes about through the reinterpretation of life’s experiences in the light of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Christian sacraments are those elements of Christians’ life experience that mediate this reinterpretation and thereby transform human existence into new and unending life. Sacraments give grace.” (Bernard Cooke) “God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” (C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity) "Where is God?. . . go to him when your need is desperate, when all other help is in vain, and what do you find? A door slamming in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence."(C.S.Lewis after his wife's death)

“Life is this simple. We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent, and God is shining through it all the time. That is not just fable or a nice story. It is true. If we abandon ourselves to God and forget ourselves, we see it sometimes, and we see it maybe frequently. God shows Himself everywhere, in everything—in people and in things and in nature and in events. It becomes very obvious that God is everywhere and in everything and we cannot be without Him. It's impossible. The only thing is is that we don't see it.” ( in a 1965 audiotape)

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.” (Attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J. (1907-1991) Superior General of the Society of Jesus 1961-1984)

“Toute est grâce!” [“Grace is everywhere...”] (George Bernanos, Diary of a Country Priest) "This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration!" (Cited by Pope John Paul II in Letter to Artists)

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...” (Quaker song)

[ on transcendence: “We must not follow those who urge us, being human, to reason and choose humanly, and, being mortal, in a mortal way; but insofar as it is possible we must immortalize and do everything in order to live in accordance with the best part of ourselves.” Nicomachean Ethics, 10, 6-8: 1177b 31-4] Terence: "I am human and let nothing human be alien to me." “Homo non proprie humanus sed superhumanus est” (a human being is, properly speaking, not human, but superhuman) [medieval maxim]

“The human being is an open possibility, incomplete and incompletable. Hence it is always more and other than what he has brought to realization in himself.” (Karl Jaspers)