Syllabus: Fundamental Theology – Catholic Method

I. Overview

A. Goal

Principal aim is to give a working knowledge of fundamental and operative principles for doing theology “kath’holos” = according to the whole, wholistic – Catholic. The main interest will be the applied practice of theology for ministry. An overview of all relevant categories of being and thought will be worked out, showing students ‘the big picture.’ One particular working system (St. Thomas) will be used as a base for examples, praxis, etc. but the students will be expected to adapt this to their own approach, applying the Catholic principles learned. No comprehensive survey of all particular disciplines is intended; this would take more than a lifetime. Content will be supplied through a focus on the Incarnation.

B. Areas covered:

Reality, Truth, Facts
Flesh, Spirit, Body, Soul
Authority, Trustworthiness, Respect, Obedience
Faith, Hope, Love
Reasoning, Logic, Understanding, Knowledge
Tradition, Text, Interpretation, Translation, Exegesis, Explanation
Synthesis, Integration, Reflection, Speculation
Practical tools to organize and helps to conceptualize

II. Sessions

Week	Date	Subject	Readings
1	27 Aug	Approches to Fundamental Theology
2	1 Sept	Use of Outline schema.
3	3	Godel’s theorem.	Outlines of major theological systems
4	10	Alternative schema: St. Bonaventure’s Incendim Amoris. Rahner. Ratzinger. Science and faith. Barr.
5	17	Methods of organizing. Sequence of forming the system.
6	24	Organizing workshop. Gathering the data to form categories. Grouping and ordering categories
7	1 Oct	Whom to trust? Principles and indications of what is “Catholic”
8	8	Resources: Personal, Divine, Scripture, Magisterium, Tradition.
9	15	Scripture interpretation and application.
10	22	Open session for Student’s questions and interest
11	29	Doctors, Saints and living witnesses.
12	5 Nov	Checking for truth, consistency, completeness.
13	12	Re-ordering and application to various purposes and means.
14	19	Cross-relationships, complexity.
15	26	No class.

III. Work and Grading

A. All assignments are due on specified date and count towards the grade

B. Everyone is expected to contribute to discussion, by asking questions, or with observations or applications – not necessarily every session, but regularly.

C. Information, readings, and homework is found on the website: www.john114.net. Check it a couple of times a week.

D. A paper or project written on a broad theme of Theology and its primary starting point, principles, and organization. 5-8 pages.

The main point of the paper is to think about what makes theology fruitful and adopt one system in particular as your basis, having some understanding of its principles and extension. Some examples: 1) Compare St. Thomas’ approach to that of Rahner or von Balthasar, their starting points and organization (or lack thereof). Where do they lack fidelity, completeness, clarity? Which would you take as your base? 2) How does the academic program for ordination fill in the necessary parts of theology, and where might its strengths and weaknesses lie? Where will you need to supplement your knowledge? 3) Taking the Gospel of John as a base, how could his theology be laid out in outline form (by importance and topic, not literary order in the text)? Is it complete? 4) What would be the ideal order to learn the system you would adopt as your basis for doing theology? (Basically, an outline of the sequence of courses etc.)