Moderatorship in Catholic Theological Studies

Course Overview

Theology is a fascinating and vital subject that challenges those who study it to think critically about God, human existence, the world we live in and the role of religion in our lives. The Moderatorship in Catholic Theological Studies is designed to provide students with knowledge of the Catholic theological, intellectual and cultural tradition and the critical issues that arise in the study of its origins, formative periods, and foundational documents. Students will be provided with the skills and ethical understanding to participate in current debates about the place of the Catholic intellectual tradition in a globalized world.

Course Content

In the first year the student is introduced to the variety of disciplines that make up Catholic Theological studies. These include, amongst others, Biblical studies (Hebrew Bible and the New Testament), theological ethics and liturgical theology. There is an introduction to the different academic approaches to the study of religion and to Philosophy. In the second and third year the student engages in a progressively deeper study of the subject matter of the main Theological disciplines. A study of the cultural and historical expressions of Catholic Christianity is a significant theme of the curriculum. The possibility of language studies in Latin, Greek or Hebrew is offered. In the fourth year the student makes options for the study of advanced topics in these disciplines and is given appropriate guidance in writing a research dissertation.

Junior Freshman

Modules (all modules are 5 credits)

• The Making of Catholic Theology: the Modern Period (c.1900-2000)
• The Making of Catholic Theology: the Patristic Period
• Jewish origins and the Hebrew Bible: Texts and contexts
• New Testament: Texts and contexts
• Catholic Theology in a secular age: a critical introduction
• Liturgical Theology
• Theological Anthropology
• Foundations for Theological Ethics
• Ethics and Society in Catholic traditions
• Introduction to Philosophy
• Approaches to the Study of Religion

Examination: Assessment will be by 1500 word essays, in-course tests and annual examinations.

Senior Freshman

Modules (5 credits unless otherwise stated)

• The Making of Catholic Theology: the Medieval Period
• Theology in Reformation and Counter Reformation
• Literary and Historical approaches to the Gospels
• The Johannine Writings
• Literary and historical approaches to the Torah/Pentateuch
• Joshua to Solomon: the emergence of Israel
• Christology and Eschatology
• God: One and Three
• The ethics of embodiment
• Contemporary ethical issues

Students select 10 credits from the following 5 and 10 credit modules

• Classic Spiritualities (5 credits)
• Philosophy II (5 credits)
• Introduction to Latin (10 credits)
• Introduction to Greek (10 credits)
• Introduction to Hebrew (10 credits)

Examination: Assessment will be by 1500 word essays, in-course tests and annual examinations.

Junior Sophister

Modules (5 credits unless otherwise stated)

• Catholic life and thought in the Age of Enlightenment
• Mission, Culture and Diversity in a Global World
• Paul and the Development of Early Christianity
• Pauline Letters in Context
• The Development of the Wisdom Literature
• Prophets, Seers and Sages
• Ecclesiology: Unity and Diversity in Catholic Christianity
• Eucharistic Theology

Students select 20 credits from the following 5 and 10 credit modules

• Church and Society: the Irish experience (5)
• Ecumenical Theology (5)
• Ethics and Ecology (5)
• The Making of Catholic Theology in the Modern Period (5)
• The Book of Kells and Early Irish Texts: a theological reading (5)
• Engaging with World Religions (5)
• Intermediate Greek (10)
• Intermediate Hebrew (10)

- and up to two 5 credit modules from the Broad Curriculum.

Examination: Assessment will be by 2000 word essays, in-course tests and annual examinations.

Senior Sophister

A research dissertation of 20,000 words (40 credits)

20 credits are chosen from:

(a) research interests of staff in the following thematic areas -

• Advanced topics in Scripture and Exegesis (10 credits)
• Advanced topics in Systematic Theology (5 credits)
• Advanced topics in Systematic Theology (5 credits)
• Advanced topics in Theological Ethics (10 credits)

and (b)

• Theology and Science: the historical relationship and a contemporary controversy (10 credits)

and (c)

• Students may also choose from additional modules offered by the School of Religions and Theology as set out in the course handbook of that School.

Fees

Fees for this course will be in line with those of other courses in the School of Religions, Theology and Ecumenics and more generally in line with courses in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Course fees for the academic year 2013-2014 will be available from May 2013. To view course fee structure see here.