2008-09 Catalog - Saint Mary's College of California

Theology & Religious Studies CurriculumGENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTSStudents entering Saint Mary’s College with fewer than 16.0 unitsare required to complete two Theology & Religious Studies courses.Students who transfer in with 16.0 or more units must complete onlyone Theology & Religious Studies course. Please note that TRS 97 orits equivalent is a prerequisite to all upper-division classes in Theology& Religious Studies. Students may apply Theology & Religious Studiescourses beyond those required to their Area A (Humanities) requirement.Theology & Religious Studies classes, like Collegiate Seminar courses,are integral to the Saint Mary’s experience and are expected to becompleted in residence. As such, transfer courses are not routinelyaccepted in fulfillment of this requirement after establishing residence atSaint Mary’s College. For courses taken as part of study abroad to counttowards the core requirement in Theology & Religious Studies, theyshould be shown in advance as not only academically rigorous but alsoas enhancing the study abroad experience in that particular country.Major RequirementsLower DivisionTRS 97: The Bible and Its InterpretationsUpper DivisionTRS 169: Theory and Method in the Study of ReligionOne course, selected with guidance of the chair, from each of thefollowing five areas:• Christian History• Scripture• Contemporary Christian Thought• Ethics• World ReligionsThree additional elective coursesMajors are also encouraged to take the “Intensive Inquiry” courseschosen each semester by the department and having special prerequisites.Minor RequirementsThe minor in Theology & Religious Studies requires five courses:TRS 97, The Bible and Its Interpretation, TRS 169, Theory and Methodin the Study of Religion, and any three upper-division courses selectedwith the guidance of the Chair. The department strongly recommendsthat at least one of the upper-division courses for the minor should bean Intensive Inquiry class.The Theology & Religious Studies Department also offers a focusedminor in the “Catholic Tradition.” Six courses are required:• TRS 97, The Bible and Its Interpretation;• two of the following three courses in sequence: TRS 101, Originsof Christianity, TRS 102, The Middle Ages, and TRS 103,The Reformation Era;• either TRS 141, Christian Ethics or TRS 143, Catholic SocialTeachings;• and two electives from a list of classes focusing on theCatholic tradition.Prerequisite GradeTheology & Religious Studies 97 is a prerequisite for any upper-divisionTheology & Religious Studies course; however, only a passing grade in TRS 97is required, not a minimum grade of C–.C o u r s e sLower Division97 The Bible and Its InterpretationThis course focuses on the Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewishand Christian peoples. This diverse collection of writings has served asinspiration and catalyst for a great number of central events in humanhistory – from the movements of liberation led by Mahatma Gandhi andMartin Luther King Jr., to the great human tragedies of slavery in the OldSouth and the medieval Crusades. These texts have also had a profoundinfluence on art, literature, philosophy, and politics for over two thousandyears of history, particularly in the West. As such, an understandingof the Bible is essential for a well-informed perspective on the world.This course will introduce students to the most important biblical eventsand themes, raising questions of the influence and relevance of this textfor the modern world. This course will also teach students to employcritical, scholarly tools for reading and interpretation, such as historicalandliterary-criticism, as well as various lenses for the modern academicstudy of religion. Co-curricular lectures are an integral part of this class.Upper DivisionChristian History100 Topics in Christian HistoryAn investigation of a topic in Christian history not covered by the regularofferings of the department. Topics are announced prior to registrationeach semester. May be repeated for credit when content changes.Prerequisite: TRS 97.101 Origins of ChristianityThe Christian religion begins its story with only a few dozen followersof a crucified man in the first century — backwater, uneducated,and unlikely to survive very long in a Mediterranean world dominatedby much more powerful religious systems. Yet, within less than threecenturies, Christianity would overwhelm the Roman Empire and beyond,building an elaborate theological and ecclesiastical system that wouldlast until the present day. This course examines the rise of this Christianmovement, focusing on such topics as Gnosticism, martyrdom, and thedevelopment of Christian ideas about Jesus. Prerequisite: TRS 97.102 The Middle AgesThe European Middle Ages was a world dominated by monks, popes,and mystics. Life was an uninterrupted struggle between heaven andhell, life and death, priests and kings. This course is an introduction tothe major figures, events, and movements of this period from the fall ofRome to the dawn of modernity. Students will have the opportunity toexplore the great pillars of medieval religion — monasticism, papalism,theology, and mysticism — as well as delve into the darker side of theCrusades and the burning of heretics. Prerequisite: TRS 97.165