Courses of Instruction for 2008-2009
Theology, Ministry and Public Life
ETHI 706F
The Theological and Economic Ethics of Globalization
This course is designed for students who want to develop the theological skills, language, and insights necessary to address the emerging global civilization and discern where God is (not) accomplishing something new in its various various spheres. Max Stackhouse in over 40 years has developed a form of public theology and economic ethics that addresses a world connected by trade, technology, ideas about democracy and human rights, and a host of other interdependencies. His is a theology that seeks to speak of God and God’s will in ways that fully engage the academic disciplines of the social sciences and aspires to be morally effective in the marketplace of goods and services. In studying his thoughts and methods students will come to see how theology is indispensable to the analysis of human condition and historical ethos and how theology either enhances or inhibits economic possibilities. We will also examine the works of other scholars who put his thought in the context of other views of public theology and ethics. Prerequisites: ETHI 601 or 602, and THEO 611 and 614. This course fulfills an upper-level ETHI requirement or TMPL requirement, or the JUST requirement.
Fall - Wednesday 6:00 - 8:50 p.m.
ETHI 725S
Christian Ethics and U.S. Civil Society: Immigration and Race
The course will detail the historical and theological development of Christian approaches to the use of force in the three main strands of pacifism, realism, and just war theory. Emphasis will be given to how these approaches interacted during major world events of the 20th century: WWII, the Cold War, and the main challenges of the 1990s (failed governments - Yugoslavia and Somalia; ethnic cleansing and genocide - Rwanda; humanitarian intervention). Students will be asked to engage the three approaches in analyzing contemporary scenarios: war on terror, Iraq, Sudan, Iran. Prerequisite: ETHI 601 or 602. This course fulfills the upper-level ETHI requirement, the Engaging Oppressions renewal area, or a TMPL elective.
Fall - Tuesday 6:00 - 8:50 p.m.
ETHI 744/844F
Economics and Ethics
This course is structured to provide students with the basic awareness and understanding of economic ideas, issues, and practices as they intersect with faith and ethics in all spheres of life. It will teach students the basic concepts of economics, finance, accounting, and business decision-making in ways that would equip them to not only grasp the economic foundations of Christian thinking about moral decisions, but also prepare them to minister to professionals, business executives, and leaders in a globalizing world. The course will also help students to respond to one of the major challenges in the marketplace: how can we develop frameworks and models to enable business executives live ethically and faithfully in the complex and pluralistic corporate world? This course fulfills the upper-level ETHI requirement, or a TMPL requirement.
Fall - Tuesday 9:00 - 11:50 a.m.
ETHI 746/846S
Theology of Money
This course offers a theological study of the nature and role of money in contemporary societies. It is not about stewardship of personal money, but about the peculiar dialectics of the monetary structures and forces that frame existence and actively confront persons, peoples, classes, gender, races, and economies in a fallen world. This course will shine a bright theological-ethical light on the motion of money in both national and global spheres so as to highlight the serious ethical issues that pertain to the production, circulation, control, and use of money in the structures and organizations of economic life. The class will reflect on how to nudge the structures and organization of monetary life toward creating and maintaining an embracing economic community that brings unity-in-difference into perpetual play and also fosters more ethical relationality without stifling its creativity and galvanizing force. Prerequisites: ETHI 601 or 602, and THEO 611 and 614. This course fulfills the upper-level ETHI requirement, a TMPL, or a JUST requirement.
Spring - Tuesday 9:00 - 11:50 a.m.
INTE/JUST 602J
Engaging the History and Legacy of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement
This course provides a theo-ethical model of analysis of systems of power like racism, classism, sexism, and so forth, particularly as they function in American society. During week 1 the course will focus on how such systems intersect to reinforce and facilitate injustice and oppression. During week 2 class members will participate in a Unitarian Universalist Service Committee “Just Works” camp and travel to Atlanta, GA and Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma, AL to explore Civil Rights history by being on site at several critical historical sites. We will use Civil Rights history as a laboratory for exploring how systems of injustice work on the ground. The goal of the course is to develop a paradigm of theology and ethics that will enable us to adequately analyze the competing interests and values present in contemporary social, political, and religious debates. We will also discuss the implications of this paradigm for each class member’s current or future work context. Students in the class must apply to and be accepted into the UUSC Just Works 2008 Camp “Freedom Summer: A Civil Rights Journey.” Space is limited. If you have questions please contact Dean Nienhuis. This course fulfills the Justice Matters or TMPL requirement. [See http://www.uusc.org/info/article121004.html for more information on the camp.]
Summer - July - TBD
THEO 712F
Screening Theology: Theological Reflection In and Through Film
Highlighting the possibility and potential of a relevant theology of culture, this course explains the ways in which recent Hollywood movies can be used as resources to think about and even to think over the meanings of key theological concepts such as ideas of God, human nature, sin, Christ, redemption, and eschatology. Through lectures, reading materials, the viewing of movies, and class discussion, students will be encouraged to consider how an appreciative and critical engagement with popular culture can allow for a relevant and contemporary practical theology. This course fulfills the THEO upper-level requirement, or WOTA or TMPL requirement.
Fall - Tuesday 2:00 - 4:50 p.m.
THEO 712S
Screening Theology: Theological Reflection In and Through Film
Highlighting the possibility and potential of a relevant theology of culture, this course explains the ways in which recent Hollywood movies can be used as resources to think about and even to think over the meanings of key theological concepts such as ideas of God, human nature, sin, Christ, redemption, and eschatology. Through lectures, reading materials, the viewing of movies, and class discussion, students will be encouraged to consider how an appreciative and critical engagement with popular culture can allow for a relevant and contemporary practical theology. This course fulfills the THEO upper-level requirement, or WOTA or TMPL requirement.
Spring - Wednesday 6:00 - 8:50 p.m.
THEO 772S
Faith and Justice: Liberation Theologies in the United States
Liberation theologies are widely acclaimed as the principal forms of prophetic thought and action in our contemporary age. Simply put, these are modes of theological discourse that rethink the meaning(s) and purpose of faith, the Christian doctrines, and overall religious or church practice by placing attention on the non-subjects of history--those who have been oppressed and been denied voice and positive identity in history. This course considers the emergence and development of some of the different kinds of liberation theologies that have come into existence in the United States. Black/African American, Feminist, Hispanic/Latino(a), and ecological theologies, among others, are examined. This course fulfills an upper-level requirement in THEO/JUST/GCIM/TMPL.
Spring - Tuesday 2:00 - 4:50 p.m.
THEO 796S
Introducing U.S. Hispanic/Lantino(a) Theology
This course explores the exciting and still emerging theological expression given utterance to by U.S. Latino/a theologians. Attention will be given to the historical unfolding, characteristics, main exponents, core themes, and ongoing issues of this theological tradition. Besides offering a perusal of Latino/a theologies, the course also offers an introduction to Hispanic/Latino(a) culture and the U.S. Latino/a experience. Thus, the class presents a wonderful opportunity to gain better awareness of the largest U.S. ethnic minority group--that is, of the Hispanic/Latino peoples living in the United States. This course fulfills the THEO upper-level, GCIM, or TMPL requirement.
Spring - Tuesday 9:00 - 11:50 a.m.
Key to Course Listings
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| EL | "EL" following a course description indicates an E-Learning course. |
| F | "F" following a course number indicates a course offered during Fall semester. |
| S | "S" following a course number indicates a course offered during Spring semester. |
| W | "W" following a course number indicates a course offered during Winter Session in January. |
| J | "J" following a course number indicates a course offered during June. |
| Y |
"Y" following a course number indicates a yearlong course. Students must register each semester for year-long courses. |
This listing is subject to change. Continue to check the school's eb site, www.ants.edu, for current information about course listings, times and dates. All courses, including Church and Ministry Department courses, are now offered for 3 credits. Only students following the pre-2001 M.Div. curriculum may elect to take courses for other than 3 credits. Unless otherwise noted, courses are generally limited to 55 students.
Levels of Instruction
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| 500 | Language courses or introductory courses meeting departmental requirements for either the M.Div. or the M.A. degree. |
| 600 | Meet departmental requirements for the M.Div., unless otherwise indicated, or program requirements for the M.A. |
| 700 | For advanced M.Div. and M.A. students with either background in an area or prerequisites completed. These courses meet some departmental upper-level elective requirements for the M.Div. |
| 800 | Primarily for D.Min. and S.T.M. students, although a limited number of seniors with the appropriate background may enroll with the instructor's permission. |
Dual-numbered courses-e.g., [HIST 725/825] - indicate courses that serve more than one level. Students should register for the level appropriate to their program needs.
Example: an M.Div. or M.A. student would register for HIST 725, but an S.T.M. or D.Min. student would register for HIST 825.