Fall, 2014
PSYC '14F (C21)
Class Room – D114
Monday, 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Steven Janoski/Marianne Stremsterfer
Offices: Beata Hall/Dawson 21
Office Hours by Appointment
E-mail: sjanoski@ben.edu/mstremsterfer@ben.edu
Phone: 717-3537 – 717-3518
Pre-Reading Assignment:
Chapter 3 - Textbook - Catholicism
IDS 201 Discovering the Image of God through
the Benedictine Lens
I.
GENERAL SEMINAR DESCRIPTION
IDS 201 is a 3 credit interdisciplinary seminar that integrates and synthesizes multiple
perspectives on complex issues and moves students toward a holistic application and
appreciation of concerns. This seminar is designed to explore the possibilities of bridging
disciplines, widening perspectives, discovering connections and integrating knowledge. The
seminar is devised as part of the new Benedictine general education “inquiry” curriculum and
addresses important general questions that engage the themes of Catholic and Benedictine
Intellectual Tradition. This course meets a general education requirement and may be taken in
lieu of any Humanities course. This section of IDS 201 also counts as writing intensive.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an interdisciplinary course responding to the Benedictine value of a “Search for God by
oneself and with others”. The course will also examine images of God throughout history, and
will explore the impact of sensual images of a transcendent God on contemporary Catholic
theology.
Inquiry (Interdisciplinary Question): How is God imaged throughout history, especially within
Benedictine tradition, and what impact does an imaged God have on contemporary Catholic
theology?
Disciplinary focus: Art History, Theology, Literature
II. TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
Required:
Barron, Robert. (2011). Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of Faith.
ISBN: 0-307720519
ISBN: 978-0-307720511
Supplementary References
Howes, Graham. (2007) The Art of the Sacred. ISBN: 1-845110064 ISBN: 978-1-845110062
Viladesau, Richard. (2000) Theology and the Arts: Encountering God Through Music, Art
and Rhetoric. ISBN: 0-809139278
ISBN: 978-0-809139279
Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
III. MISSION
Benedictine University is dedicated to the education of undergraduate and graduate students
from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As an academic community committed to
liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by our Roman Catholic tradition
and Benedictine heritage, we prepare our students for a lifetime as active, informed and
responsible citizens and leaders in the world community.
IV. COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
A. Benedictine Core Goals
Benedictine University's core mission is to prepare students for active participation in an
increasingly interconnected world. Its Core Curriculum advances this mission by enabling
students to attain a broad range of learning goals, listed below:
1. Demonstrate an effective level of cognitive, communicative, and research skills;
2. Achieve a college level of computational skills and an ability to understand and interpret
numerical data;
3. Acquire a knowledge of the history and heritage of western civilization, to include
* the contributions of religious faith and philosophical thought to understanding the person
in community,
* the relationship of the individual to society: membership and participation in groups and
institutions, scientific literacy through a knowledge of the history, the methods, and the
impact of science on the individual, society, and the environment,
* artistic and literary heritage;
4. Develop an understanding of global society: cultural diversity, mutual relationships,
interdependence of peoples and nations;
5. Apply liberal learning in problem-solving contexts as preparation for active participation in
society;
6. Make informed ethical decisions that promote personal integrity, the legitimate rights and
aspirations of individuals and groups, and the common good.
B. IDS 201 Interdisciplinary Seminar Goals
The course is built on interdisciplinary methodologies that value the integration and synthesis of
multiple perspectives on complex issues that move students toward a holistic application and
appreciation of concerns. In this course students will practice the following interdisciplinary
competencies:
1. recognize that assumptions, methods, and inquiry distinguish disciplines;
2. gain strategies for discerning problems or issues that warrant an interdisciplinary approach;
juxtapose, synthesize and integrate disciplinary insights through the discovery of common
ground;
3. begin to apply and appreciate holistic thinking;
4. recognize social responsibilities of maintaining the common good or human dignity;
5. develop intellectual curiosity and a desire for lifelong learning.
C. Course Goals for IDS 201:
- Discovering the Image of God through the Benedictine Lens
As a result of this course students will demonstrate the following course competencies:
Exposure to the various traditional images of God found in the History of Art
1. knowledge of course concepts, including the theology regarding the various images of God,
how to write an icon, and an understanding of how various religions and/or faith traditions have
imaged God
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
2. awareness of what is understood by a visual image of God and a specifically Catholic and
Benedictine appreciation of the divine persona
3. familiarity with the practice of integration of disciplinary insights through life writing and
multimodal design and expression
4. cognizance of one’s own response to expressing a personal representation of God
V.
TEACHING METHODS/DELIVERY SYSTEM
Our approach to this seminar is to establish an environment where students and professors will
be able to interact openly about individual beliefs about God and theories of images of the
supreme deity. While presentation of images in art history will involve lecture as well as the
theology behind the images, students will be encouraged to engage in sharing ideas, discussing
of memories or theories of God’s image, using critical thinking and prayer to determine a
personal image of God, and exploring art methods and media in creating (writing) an icon in the
traditional manner. Prayer, contemplation, discernment, and inquiry will be required of each
participant in the seminar as they encounter the Catholic, and specifically Benedictine,
Intellectual tradition.
VI.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES
Attendance Policy:
This course is highly accelerated, and students will need to take a great deal of responsibility for
their own learning outcomes. Attendance is required in each class meeting for the full period of
time. Any absence must be due to extraordinary circumstances and will require documentation
for it to be considered excused. Documentation must be provided immediately in order to
determine what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible. Class attendance will
directly impact your final grade, and each undocumented absence will be considered unexcused
and will result in a 20% reduction in the final grade for the course. We will take attendance every
class session.
Due to the accelerated nature of the course, should you experience a medical condition which
prevents you from attending any class(es), appropriate medical documentation must be
provided immediately so it may be determined what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or
possible.
Presence is more than just a physical state. It is a state of being on many levels and will be
noted as such (e.g. sleeping in class in not presence and will be noted as an absence). Once
students have taken more than the allowed number of absences and are earning a failing grade
for the course, they can no longer attend the course.
Absences due to death in the family: In the event of a death in the student’s family, the
student is generally granted 1-3 bereavement days. Family is defined as the student’s spouse,
son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, grandparents, grandchildren, mother-in-law,
father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Should a death in
the family occur beyond those absences allowed, students must bring a program from the
funeral (not a newspaper clipping), and then they can make up work or hand in work without late
penalties.
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
Late Assignment Policy: No late assignments will be accepted without prior permission from
the professors. Assignments must be submitted at the beginning of the classes in which they
are due unless otherwise stated. Please do not email us and ask us what you missed in class.
It is your responsibility to find a classmate who is willing to share notes and observations about
class with you. Even though you may have to miss class, you are still responsible for the
material you missed and for submitting assignments on time. This policy also applies to student
athletes.
Reading Assignments, Writing Assignments, Project Assignments
All assignments and due dates are listed in the Topical Course Outline. Some assignments will
be listed on D2L and may be required to be delivered to a Drop Box on the D2L site. In class
announcements may supersede the calendar depending on progress of students on studio
assignments and project deliverability.
Electronic Devices Policy: Please shut off all cell phones and electronic devices before you
enter the classroom. Texting, Facebook and other social media or gaming is not allowed during
class unless directly linked to a class activity.
Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy: The search for
truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a university. Benedictine
University at Springfield pursues these missions in an environment guided by our Roman
Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage. Integrity and honesty are therefore expected of
all University students. Actions such as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, forgery,
falsification, destruction, multiple submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are violations
of these expectations and constitute unacceptable behavior in the University community.
Student’s Responsibility: Benedictine students are expected to exhibit academic honesty at
all times. Violations against academic honesty are always serious and may result in sanctions
that could have profound long-term effects. The final responsibility for understanding the
Academic Honesty Policy of the institution, as well as the specific policies for individual courses
normally found in syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt exists about what constitutes
academic dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the faculty member. Students
should expect the members of their class to be academically honest. If students believe one or
more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic advantage in the class,
students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the course without
prejudice.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of
Academic Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a student may
face for academic dishonesty:



a failing grade or “zero” for the assignment;
dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or
dismissal from the Institution.
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
VII.
MEANS OF EVALUATION
Below is a summary of specific course requirements and their value:
40%
Essays/Quizzes/Exams
30%
Projects
30%
Final Interdisciplinary Project, Paper, and Presentation (Capstone Project)
Participation
Active participation in the seminar includes:






attendance at all sessions
meaningful participation in discussions
preparation for class through completion of all homework assignments
in-class activities
quizzes/exams
short reflective writings.
Grading Scale:
A
B
C
D
F
(90-100%)
(80-89%)
(70-79%)
(60-69%)
(59%-below)
Assignments must provide effective content (what it says) and use Standard English (how well it
says it). You will produce original work for this course (i.e. not re-present an essay from another
class)—see above policy.

A grade of "C" is average, adequate—"satisfactory”—while a "B" is "good." That means
that a "B" is better than average, better than satisfactory, better than adequate. The
average grade is a "C"; a grade of "B" requires effort and accomplishment.
If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must be made
in writing to the instructor and must be initiated within 60 calendar days after the end of the term
for which the grade in question was reported. The appeal should contain specific information
about why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate. See the Student Handbook for
additional details.
Add/Drop Dates
Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates.
Incomplete Request
To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a “C”
or better, and a student must submit a completed “Request for an Incomplete” formed to the
Registrar’s Office. The form must be completed by both student and instructor, but it is the
student’s responsibility (not the instructor’s) to initiate this process and obtain the necessary
signatures.
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
Student Withdrawal Procedure
It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the
appropriate form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the Advising
Office. Please refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information related to
withdrawals.
VIII. TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE
(See attached topical Course Outline for specific due dates and assignments)
A. Study of Art History exploring images of God
B. Study of the theology of Catholic and Benedictine beliefs
C. Essays on relevant topics as determined by the professors
D. Studio projects include writing an icon and imaging God through individual and personal
perceptions of God
E. Field trips to various venues to explore images of God
IX. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable
accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with
disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in campus-sponsored programs, activities,
and services, or to meet course requirements, should contact the Resource Center as early as
possible: springaccess@ben.edu or (217) 717-9253.
X. ASSESSMENT
Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes that will be assessed in the class are stated in this
syllabus in Sections above. Instructors will use background knowledge probes, one-minute
papers, reflective essays, critiques and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed
necessary in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE
IDS 201
COHORT
Pre-Reading Assignment: Chapter 3 of Catholicism
August 25
Sept. 8
Birthday
of Mary,
the
Mother of
Jesus
Sept. 22
Introduction to Course
Introduction of faculty and students
Images of gods
Images of God - Introduction
Presentation on polytheism, moving into a
Presentation on monotheism
Catholicism Series, episode 3: The Ineffable Mystery of God
Assign essay questions based on Catholicism, episode 3
Assign polytheistic god for research/presentation
Scripture passages about God for reflection
Collage of “their” image of God (Studio)
Presentations to class on polytheistic god
Images of God through history
“In class” essay on two images of God
Introduction to Icons
Introduction to Symbols
How to write an icon
Studio work on icon
Sharing of completed icons with class
Introduction to Capstone project
Catholicism Series, episode 1: Amazed and Afraid
Assign essay questions based on Catholicism, episode 1
Introduction to stained glass
Stained glass on campus
Studio work on stained “glass” project
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Janoski/Stremsterfer Syllabus | IDS 201 | Fall 2014
Oct. 6
Meet at the Chiara Center
Sharing of stained “glass” project with class
Catholicism Series, episode 7: Word Made Flesh, True Bread of
Heaven
Assign essay questions based on Catholicism, episode 7
Illumination
Choosing “Rule of Benedict” quote
Studio work on illumination project
Oct. 20
Catholicism Series, episode 10: World Without End
Essay questions based on Catholicism, episode 10
Objective final exam
Capstone projects/papers/presentations due
Subjective final exam
Reading assignments based on the episode of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of
Faith. by Robert Barron
Quizzes will be given regularly based on reading material and classroom presentations
(Service opportunity/reflection paper for extra credit)
Adjustments to course syllabus and schedule may be made by the professors as
deemed necessary.
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