Christian Living
(Moral/Spiritual Theology)
CL 230 Fundamental Moral
Theology
This course introduces the student to moral theology in the Catholic
tradition. It examines the sources of moral theology; an
understanding of the human person as morally responsible; the role of
values and norms in moral discernment and moral decision-making within the
church today. This introductory course or its equivalent is required
for further courses in moral theology. (3 credits)
CL 233 Introduction to the
History of Christian Spirituality (Also H 384)
This course introduces the student to the nature of spirituality
generally and to the movements and major themes in Christian spirituality
in particular. In order to involve the student on an affective as well as
a speculative level, this course attempts to introduce him/her to his/her
own spirituality type and encourages personal research into the spiritual
leaders of the Christian tradition. Because the origins of American
spirituality are diverse, this course, while stressing the more
traditional roots of Christian spirituality, also seeks to address Native
American, African American and Hispanic American traditions in order to
provide as global a perspective as possible. (3 Credits)
CL 234 Catholic Social
Teaching
This course is to acquaint the participant with the basic understandings
of social ethics in ministerial life. We will discuss the
underlying vision of social ethics in the church, including church
teaching. We will address current issues in social ethics today. Finally,
the course will explore the basic tools needed for an analytical approach
to social problems in today's church. Prerequisites: CL 230 or LPS 403
or permission of instructor. (3 Credits)
CL 235 Human
Development and Spiritual Experience
Students will learn the major theories of human development, covering
a variety of perspectives - biological, psychological, social, cognitive,
moral, and spiritual. The pastoral implications of each developmental
model will be explored and students will learn to integrate scientific
understandings of human development with insights from the Christian
Tradition. (3 Credits)
CL 236 Catholic Sexual
Ethics
This course works on the premise that understanding Catholic Sexual Ethics
requires situating the Church's teachings on sexuality within the context
of the Church's vision of human family. This context situates itself
within the larger context of the social teaching of the Church. We shall
explore the Roman Catholic Church's teaching on the family, focusing on
Gaudium et spes and Familiaris Consortio. Against this background, we
shall examine specific issues concerning marital chastity and so forth.
The student will gain an appreciation of the scope of Catholic Sexual
Ethics and a body of knowledge to articulate the Church's position. (3 Credits)
CL 237 Catholic Medical
Ethics
This course explores the field of health care and the Roman Catholic
reflection on various issues that surface in the highly complex setting of
care giving. After exploring fundamental principles of Catholic ethics, we
shall examine topics such as research and experimentation with human
subjects, ethics in psychological counseling, fertility issues, regulation
of birth, triage and death and dying issues. We shall explore these issues
in the context of religious convictions always seeking ways within the
pastoral setting to adequately inform consciences beneath the light of
Roman Catholic magisterial teaching. (3 Credits)
CL 321 Ignatian
Spirituality
This course is intended to give both an experience and an understanding of
Ignatian Spirituality. This course offers a way to reflect and sift
through one's multiple life-experiences and to discover in them the
leading thread of God's longing and desire to make us a holy people who
are given in service to others. (3 Credits)
CL 322 Spiritual Direction
(Also PA 330)
A study of the theology and practice of Christian spiritual direction,
examining classical and contemporary methodologies for direction, aspects
of the direction relationship, principles of discernment, and special
problems. The course will attempt a synthesis of personal experience,
psychological insights, and theological opinion in order to arrive at
methods and guidelines for the practice of spiritual direction.
Prerequisites: An Introduction to Spirituality or permission of professor.
(3 Credits)
CL 363 Special Issues in
Fundamental Moral Theology
This course will focus on the issue of conscience formation in the parish
setting. We will examine the contemporary American cultural context, the
question of different approaches (i.e. principles, legalism, virtue
ethics), the fundamental starting point of human dignity in an attempt to
develop a pastoral strategy. Each student will research, design a
presentation and give the presentation to the class, covering such topics
as (1) euthanasia, "living wills," (2) health care reform, (3)
artificial contraception and premarital cohabitation, as well as others.
Prerequisites: CL 230 or LPS 403. (3 Credits)
CL 367 The Christian Ethics
of Stewardship: The Quest for a Christian Ecological Ethic
This course will explore the philosophical and theological issues that
surround the issue of ecology from the vantage point of Christian ethics.
We shall situate the growing concern for human responsibility for
ecological issues within the Christian vision and a search for a just
ecological ethic. Philosophical issues such as anthropocentrism, property
rights, ethical methodology, as well as theological issues such as the
integrity of God's creation, will be explored. The focus will be on
ecology while issues concerning business ethics will be touched upon from
within our discussion of ecology. Prerequisites: CL 230 or LPS 403. (3 Credits)
CL 382 Modern Moral
Problems
This course will be taught seminar style. Each student will do
research and present his or her research findings to the class in written
form. The topics for research will explore timely issues within the
Catholic Church as it finds itself within the American ethos. The topics
are: the death penalty, bioethics issues such as cloning, and
medical issues such as physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. We
will also address issues brought up by students. Methodologically,
we will set up a dialogue between the wisdom of the Catholic Tradition and
the American cultural ethos with an eye to formulating an informed
pastoral response. Prerequisites: CL 230 or LPS 403, CL 236,
CL 237. (3 Credits)
CL 441 The Psychology of
Human Sexuality (also PA 416)
This course has been designed to give the therapist/counselor an overview
of the field of human sexuality with special emphasis on sex therapy. In
addition to current education on sexuality, a variety of treatment
approaches will be presented and evaluated. The class format will include
lecture, video cases and treatment examples, class discussion, special
guest speakers, and role playing. (Wester, 3 Credits)
CL 442 End of Life: Issues
and Approaches - The Catholic Community's Response
In this course, we explore fundamental issues affecting the moral
challenge of how to shape our response and our actions toward the dying
person. We will explore ethical approaches (i.e. principles vs. virtue
theory), contemporary society's expectations and unspoken assumptions, the
Catholic Church's teachings on end of life issues etc. In particular we
address euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, withholding and
withdrawing of treatment, nutrition and hydration decisions, quality of
life criteria, organ donation, technological imperatives and other issues.
We will not answer all the questions but hope to illuminate the discussion
and to generate serious reflection. (3 Credits)
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