INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY

 

From the outset of this module, the tone is set by the statement Jesus made people think ! From its inception, with the teaching of the gospels and the Pauline epistles, the Christian tradition has always honoured the human capacity for reflection. Far from being a religion of the ‘diktat’, it has recognised that the Christian story is constantly unfolding, finding new forms and challenges as it journeys through times and places. Theology is the name that is given to the human mind’s instinct to relate these unfolding events to the mystery of ‘God-with-us’.

 

This introductory module traces the way theology has developed from its earliest days, how it has been formed and shaped by the vicissitudes of history and the wisdom of many cultures, and how it became the ‘queen of the sciences’ through the efforts of such great teachers as Augustine, Bonaventure, and Aquinas. It then singles out four contemporary theologians, representing different traditions and methods, and shows how their particular theologies grew. Far from being an arid academic exercise, we see how for them theology is profoundly shaped by the particular social environment of each one.

 

The second part of this module examines what is called ‘moral theology’ – that area that is concerned with human behaviour and virtue – and ‘ecclesiology’, which focuses on the church or believing community in which the faith is fostered and celebrated.

 

This module as a whole provides the foundation upon which subsequent study is built, and clearly shows that the questing mind is a vital element in the journey of faith and the unfolding of theology.

 

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

 

All Christian theology is sourced in the Scriptures, and no theology programme is possible without constant reference to the texts of scripture. And while every module derives its legitimacy from the scriptures, and some modules are devoted to detailed analysis of certain texts of scripture, there is a need to have from the outset an appreciation of what the scriptures are and how they have come down to us.

 

This module begins with Genesis 1 – 11, showing how this text is seminal to an understanding of the whole bible. Then the student is introduced to the five books of the Pentateuch and the history of the Jewish people up to the Judges and Kings. The role of prophecy and its unique place in the Hebrew scriptures is examined, with the prophets of the exile – Jeremiah and Ezekiel – receiving particular attention. Indeed the exile is seen to have a pivotal role in the formation of the text of the old testament as we have it today.

 

The penultimate section is devoted to the new testament and the Good News of Jesus, with the synoptic gospels and the writings of John and Paul being examined. All the texts are viewed against the backdrop of their historical and cultural contexts.

 

The final part of this module examines the critical ‘tools’ which scholars have developed in recent times to interpret biblical texts. This is an essential prerequisite for any further study which assumes a critical and scholarly approach to the foundational texts of our faith.

                                                            
Levels II & III

 

THE TRINITY AND INCARNATION

 

Since the God of Christian Faith is ‘triune’ and revealed in Jesus Christ, it follows that a treatment of the Blessed Trinity and of the Incarnation must be central to any programme of Christian theology. This module examines how the data of biblical revelation has always been viewed through the prism of philosophical systems and how different influences helped to form the dogmatic tradition of the church about the nature of God and the mystery of the Incarnation.

 

This tradition was forged in the crucible of debate and was often marked by acrimonious division. Thus we have the theological controversies leading to the Nicene Creed and the conciliar definitions of Ephesus and Chalcedon, which are treated in some detail. Then there is the towering influence of Augustine, and the debates of the medieval scholastics, which were very formative, even definitive, in the development of our present theology.

 

The final section of this module takes up the significant contribution of the Eastern churches, and shows how this tradition complements and enriches the theology of the Christian West.

 

MORAL THEOLOGY : CARING FOR LIFE

 

This module covers the sphere of personal and social ethics and the role of moral norms in preserving and promoting human life. After a reflection on the history of medical ethics and the principles animating the doctor/patient relationship, the text considers the various moral issues arising in relation to the beginning of life : assisted conception, contraception, IVF, and abortion.

 

Under the heading Whose life is it anyway ? the author considers the vexed question of euthanasia, with its related web of social and legal conflicts, and questions such as assisted suicide, the definition of death, and living wills. This is followed by a discussion of the whole issue of genetics, no least its dark history of eugenics, and such matters as genetic engineering, genetic screening, gene therapy, stem cell research and cloning.

 

All of these areas are discussed with particular reference to Catholic moral teaching, and examines the debate which distinguishes the ‘sanctity of life’ from the ‘quality of life’. The module closes with a consideration of the medical profession’s responsibilities to society, specifically to the disadvantaged, the mentally ill, and AIDS sufferers, particularly in situations involving scarce medical resources. The final unit explores the morality of experimentation and research in medicine.