St Catherine University – Minneapolis Campus
LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES
The Christian Journey – 40388 - THEO 1020 - M02
SUMMER 2012 – 2 credits
Chester O’Gorman
Office: Adjunct Office
Phone: (612) 310-7560
cogorman@stkate.edu
Office Hours: ________Wednesday 3-5 pm________ and by appointment
Course Description
This course examines Christian faith claims, reflects on the religious dimension of human
experience, explores the nature and function of faith, religion, and theology and addresses the
issues of God, salvation, sacrament, scripture and community with a particular emphasis on
Catholic social teaching.
Required Texts
What Is Religion?, John F. Haught
Medicine as Ministry, Margaret E. Mohrmann
Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal, Rachel Naomi Remen
University Mission
The LAS department values the place of the spiritual in the journey toward personal wholeness,
respect all forms of religious expression and the way human cultures respond to the ultimate
dimension of life. Theology courses at SCU presuppose the following:
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That religion has been present in every human culture as a means of expressing the
ultimate dimension of life.
That there is more than one way to religious knowledge
That understanding the relationship between religion and other cultural forms helps us
place our own religious life within a universal perspective,
That it is by means of the journey outward that we may arrive at a new awareness of
ourselves as religious persons.
Liberal Arts Goals
This course fosters an understanding of the following Liberal Arts Goals:
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Ethics and social justice – The ability to apply ethical standards to judge individuals and
collective actions; the development of attitudes and behaviors that reflect integrity,
honesty, compassion and justice in one's personal and professional life.
Critical and creative inquiry – The ability to gather, analyze and critically evaluate
information to develop reasonable arguments, sound judgments and effective solutions.
This ability is founded on a broad knowledge of the achievements of human creativity
and the variety of disciplinary approaches for exploring truth.
Commitment to purposeful and life-long learning – The ability to continue personal and
professional development based on ongoing self-assessment, feedback from others, and
new learning.
General Course Objectives
The student will be able to:
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Comprehend basic theological concepts such as image of God, image of person, Christ
and the nature of human suffering, and evaluate theological claims accordingly;
Articulate theological/non-theological positions (one’s own and those of others);
Integrate beliefs with actions, thereby understanding the nature of (Christian) community
(as the Body of Christ).
Teaching/Learning Methods: lecture, discussion of readings, critical reading, reflective
writing, group work, comprehensive exam
Course Requirements
ATTENDANCE & ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS – 14 points
total, 1 point per class session. This class will be conducted in a seminar format that requires
both consistent attendance and active participation. One half of a point will be given simply for
being present. To earn the other half of a point, students must participate in discussion –
minimum one question or comment each session. If a student has an excused absence, the two
points will be awarded.
1. STUDY GUIDES – 25 Points
2. LUTHER Q&A – 25 Points
3. GROUP PROJECT – 35 points
4. FINAL PAPER – 35 points
ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION – 14 Points
EXTRA CREDIT – 10 POINTS
GRADING: Based on percentage/total points. Total Points = 134
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
F
>95%
9490%
8987%
8683%
8279%
7875%
7472%
7169%
6865%
6460%
<59
%
Learning Center Services
Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are
encouraged to contact the Coordinator of Student Disability Services as soon as possible to
ensure accommodations are implemented. The Coordinator of Student Disability Services is
located on the third floor of the Education Building, Office 369, and can be reached by telephone
at 651-690-8160.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the foundation of our work. Students are expected to make use of source
materials but to do so in a way that gives credit to the work of others. Student writing should always
include reference citations.
Attendance
The St. Catherine University attendance policy states, “Regular class attendance is expected of
all students. You are expected to arrive at class on time and stay for the duration of the
class. Whether present or not, you are responsible for class assignments.” Students should
not expect to succeed in this course if they miss a considerable portion of lecture and discussion.
Upon missing a second class students should expect a decrease in final grade by one letter grade.
A third miss will require instructor permission to remain enrolled.
Late work policy
Essays are due no later than the class meeting which follows the due date. Longer extensions
must be negotiated in advance and are at the discretion of the instructor.
1
6/4
2
6/6
Introduction and expectations
What is theology, religion, spirituality? Why should we
study these topics?
What is the difference between the religious and secular
point of view?
Early Religions and Hinduism
Assignment 1 A: Study Guide
Read Haught: Intro, Chapter 1 and 2
Read Remen: A way of life (141);
Lineage (163)
3
6/11
Buddhism and Prophetic Religion
Assignment 1 B: Study Guide
4
6/13
Medicine as Ministry
Extra Credit: See Study Questions Below
5
6/18
6
6/20
Medicine as Ministry
Extra Credit: See Study Questions Below
Martin Luther: Concerning Christian Liberty
7
6/25
8
6/27
Martin Luther: Concerning Christian Liberty
Assignment 2: Study Guide Due
9
7/2
Rene Girard: Are the Gospels Mythical?
Assignment 3 B (Group Project): See Below
10
7/4
11
7/9
12
7/11
Holiday: No class!!!
13
7/16
Secularism and Nihilism
14
7/18
Assignment #4: Bultmann or Altizer Essays
Marian Hillar: Liberation Theology
Assignment 3 A (Group Project): See Below
Christian Existentialism and Demythologization
Radical Theology: Altizer, Theology and the Death of God
Read Haught: Chapters 3, 4
Read Remen: Grace (88); Three Fables
on Letting Go (182): the meeting place
(242); Grace (88)
Read Mohrmann: Medicince as Ministry,
Intro, Chapters 1 and 2
Read Remen: Making Caring Visible
(151); Another Kind of Silence (119)
Read Mohrmann: Medicince as Ministry,
Chapters 3-7
Read Luther:
http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/
reformationink/mlchrlib.htm
Read Remen: Surprised by Meaning
(159); The Emperor’s New Clothes (93)
Read Hillar:
http://www.socinian.org/liberty.html
Read Remen: Professionals Don’t Cry
(51); Life Is for the Well (178)
Read Girard:http://www.firstthings.com/
article/2007/10/002-are-the-gospelsmythical-11
Read Remen: Prayer (270); Silence (23)
Read: Essay by Rudolf Bultmann, New
Testament and Mythology (Handout)
Read Altizer: http://www.religiononline.org/showchapter.asp?
title=537&C=590
Read Haught: Chapters 13, 15
Read Remen: Professionals Don’t Cry
(51); Life Is for the Well (178)
Assignment Details
Assignment 1: The class will be divided into two groups, A or B. Every person in the group will be
responsible for completing the two study guides related to the reading for that day. He or she will be
paired with someone from the other group, so an A will go together with a B. You will exchange study
guides with your partner so that each of you has a complete set. On the day your material is due, each
group is responsible for nominating two people to present the material to the class. Those not presenting
who belong to the same group will be expected to engage the presenters, asking questions and correcting
them when there is disagreement. Persons of the other group not presenting will also be required to offer a
question or a comment to the presenters or myself (as part of the daily participation requirement).
Assignment 2: Every student will be required to complete six short answer questions (3-5 sentences) and
two long answer questions (half a page, or approximately 150 words). See handout.
Assignment 3: Persons will be broken up into groups (2-3) and will be responsible for presenting a
summary paper of the reading assignment for the day. Assignment A will focus on Liberation Theology.
Assignment B will focus on Rene Girard’s essay, Are the Gospels Mythical? Details as to what exactly is
expected in the summary will be discussed in class. Presentations should be 3-4 pages in length (9001200 words).
Assignment 4: The last assignment will be an individual essay 4-5 pages in length (1200-1500 words) and
will be due on the last day of class. Essay questions will be handed out the week prior to the reading
assignment to which those essays are a response.
Extra Credit Questions
*Answers should be one page in length (approximately 300 words)
Introduction
Identify 3 reasons medical ethics are inadequate. Mohrmann states, “Clinical information alone
cannot lead us to moral conclusions” (4). Why is this?
Chapter 1
Mohrmann identifies several temptations that health care workers face. What are they? Why is
knowledge of death a beneficial characteristic? What is the scandal of particularity?
Chapter 2
What automatic assumptions come with the terms “Father” and “Son” and how does St
Augustine solve this issue? What does it mean to be created in the image of God? According to
Mohrmann, what is the meaning of the Good Samaritan?
Chapter 3
Why is the patient story so important? How does Scripture assist us in understanding patient
stories? How is Scripture misused?
Chapter 4
Mohrmann writes that we don’t go to Scripture for lists or rules; what should we be seeking from
Scripture? How do stories of Jesus’ suffering inform our own suffering and the suffering of our
patients? Mohrmann quotes Flannery O’Connor, who wrote, “The wolf, I’m afraid, is inside
tearing up the place” (68). What is the significance of this statement?
Chapter 5
Mohrmann identifies two types of problems; how do they differ? Identify the criteria for writing
chapters in a life story. How might suffering be productive?
Chapter 6
What issues need to be taken into account when discussing organ donation? How does the
parable of the talents help us with this question? What is the underlying message in a funeral
ritual?