Course Number: MTH 585 Course Title: Marriage and Theology of the Body Term: Fall 2015 (as of June 8, 2015) Instructor

Transcription

1 Course Number: MTH 585 Course Title: Marriage and Theology of the Body Term: Fall 2015 (as of June 8, 2015) Instructor Professor: Dr. Cynthia Toolin-Wilson 1. Course Description This course is constructed to partially fulfill the Holy Apostles College and Seminary mission statement to cultivate lay, consecrated and ordained Catholic leaders for the purpose of evangelization. To be able to evangelize, a future leader must have a working knowledge of Church doctrine. This course exposes the student to Catholic sexual ethics using the work of John Paul II. We examine the significant philosophical thought of Karol Wojtyla on this topic in his Book, Love and Responsibility. We also examine his mature theological thought, as pope, concerning the theology of the body as found in his general Wednesday audiences.. But to be able to evangelize, knowing basic doctrine is not enough. The evangelizer must be able to recall the doctrine and interpret it in a manner applicable to the situation. Rarely will the leader be asked to present formal lessons on Catholic sexual ethics. More often the situation will be one where the leader needs to explain or support the Church s articulated doctrine against error or heresy by formulating a correct answer to a question, or contrasting true Church authentic teaching with that of secular society. In this course, the student is challenged to develop such answers in a real-life scenario paper and a term paper. 2. Envisioned Learning Outcomes 1. Student will demonstrate the ability to locate and define major concepts in, and recall overarching themes of, Catholic sexual ethics in order to construct and present the information in a formal and informal manner. 2. Students will demonstrate a working knowledge (defined as the ability to recall, paraphrase, and interpret) of Church doctrine as opposed to the teaching of secularism by applying it in given scenarios. 3. Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate answers to common questions to prepare him or her to explain authentic Church teaching as presented in magisterial documents as opposed to the teaching of secular society. 1

2 3. Text Material and Resources: Texts to Purchase Karol Wojtyla. Love and Responsibility. Translated by Gregory Ignatik. Pauline Press, ISBN John Paul II. Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. Translated by Michael Waldstein. Pauline Press, ISBN Required Internet Sources Couple to Couple League, "What Does the Church Teach about Birth Control?" Other Suggested Sources Edith Stein, Essays on Woman Alice von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman 4. Suggested Media: Janet Smith s Sexual Common Sense series; $9.95 MP3 Download 5. Weekly Schedule Week 1 Some of the important things we will learn about this week are the meanings of the verb "to use" and their relationship to love, as well as the personalistic norm. We will also start learning about John Paul's II's extensive theology of the body. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 1: Analysis of the Verb "to Use". Then read John Paul II, General Audiences: Week 1 (Of the Unity and Indissolubility of Marriage) to Week 8 (Original Unity of Man and Woman). Week 2 Some of the important things we will learn this week involve the issue of the sexual urge and several different ways of interpreting it. We continue our study of John Paul II's theology of the body, focusing again on the first section of his three-part sequence of Wednesday audiences, also known as the Original Unity of Man and Woman. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 1: Interpretation of the Sexual Urge. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 9 (Man Becomes the Image of God by Communion of Persons) to 15 (The Man-Person Becomes a Gift in the Freedom of Love). 2

3 Week 3 This week we will start to learn different ways of understanding love. We start by interpreting it in a metaphysical way as attract, desire and goodwill. (If you are interested, C.S. Lewis has a wonderful book called The Four Loves which examines different kinds of love.) We also finish that part of John Paul II's theology of the body called Original Unity of Man and Woman. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 2: Metaphysical Analysis of Love. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 16 (Mystery of Man's Original Innocence) to 23 (Marriage in the Integral Vision of Man). Week 4 This week we will continue to learn about different ways of examining love. The psychological analysis includes topics such as sentiment, sensuality and senses. We also start the second part of John Paul II's development of the theology of the body, in what is commonly referred to as Blessed are the Pure of Heart. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 2: Psychological Analysis of Love. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 24 (Christ Appeals to Man's Heart) to 30 (Dominion Over the Other in the Interpersonal Relation). Week 5 This is our third week looking at different ways of understanding love. We will now turn to the ethical analysis of love. This important section focuses on the person. We continue studying John Paul II's theology of the body. His analysis here focuses on lust. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 2: The Ethical Analysis of Love. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 31 (Lust Limits Nuptial Meaning of the Body) to 37 (Adultery: A Breakdown of the Personal Covenant). Week 6 This week we learn about the important topic of chastity and its centrality to living the good (right) life. This analysis includes an interesting look at the structure of sin. As we continue studying John Paul II's theology of the body, we finish the second part of his three-part sequence. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 3: The Rehabilitation of Chastity. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 38 (Meaning of Adultery Transferred from the Body to the Heart) to 44 (Gospel Values and Duties of the Human Heart). 3

4 Assignment This week your writing assignment is due. The paper assignment is listed below. It must be ed to me at by 11:59 p.m., Saturday, Eastern Time. Week 7 This week we learn more about shame, in its positive sense. We also learn about the problem of shamelessness. This is a very important topic that is poorly understood in today's world.at the same time, we continue in our study of John Paul II's theology of the body. We are starting the third part of his sequence, commonly referred to as Life According to the Spirit. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 3: The Metaphysics of Shame. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 45 (Realization of the Value of the Body According to the Plan of the Creator) to 50 (Purity of Heart). Week 8 This week we learn about continence and how important it is to a proper understanding of human sexuality. The emphasis of John Paul II's teaching on the theology of the body here focuses on the teachings of St. Paul. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 3: The Problems of Continence. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 51 (Justification in Christ) to 57 (The Pauline Doctrine of Purity as Life According to the Spirit). Week 9 This week we learn about the true meaning of marriage. We learn particularly about monogamy, indissolubility, and procreation. At the same time, much of John Paul II's theology of the body here focuses on the human body and art. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 4: Marriage. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 58 (Positive Function of Purity of Heart) to 63 (Ethical Responsibilities in Art). Week 10 This week we turn to studying vocation, a topic poorly understood in today's culture. An important part of this topic is mystical and physical virginity. John Paul II's theology of the body turns to issues of the resurrection, another teaching that is not often understood. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 4: Vocation. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 64 (Marriage and Celibacy in the Light of the Resurrection of the Body) to 71(The Risen Body Will be Incorruptible, Glorious, Dynamic, and Spiritual). 4

5 Week 11 This is our last week using the Wojtyla text. We turn to sexology as our topic, and learn the application of many of the topics we have studied so far this semester. The emphasis on John Paul II's theology of the body here focuses on continence. Read Wojtyla, Chapter 5: A Supplementary Survey. Then read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 72 (Body's Spiritualization Will be Source of Its Power and Incorruptibility) to 77 (Superiority of Continence Does Not Devalue Marriage). Week 12 We now continue our study of contraception, but with special focus on how it and Natural Family Planning (NFP) are distinct. Read Couple to Couple League, "What Does the Church Teach about Birth Control?" Week 13 This week we continue reading John Paul II's theology of the body. His focus here is on vocation and on sacrament. Read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 78 (Marriage and Continence Complement Each Other) to 101 (Christ Opened Marriage to the Saving Action of God). Week 14 As in last week's readings, John Paul II continues to focus on sacrament. He also speaks at length of the importance of the language of the body. Read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 102 (Marriage Sacrament an Effective Sign of God's Saving Power) to 113 (The Language of the Body: Actions and Duties Forming the Spirituality of Marriage). Optional reading: Read John Paul II, General Audiences, Weeks 114 (Morality of Marriage Act Determined by Nature of the Act and of the Subjects) to 129 (Conclusion to the Series: Redemption of the Body and Sacramentality of Marriage). Week 15 Assignment: Term Paper This week your Term Paper is due below. Information for the Term Paper is in the Syllabus. It should be ed to me at ctoolin@holyapostles.edu by Friday, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. 5

6 6. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Complete all reading and writing assignments. Reading assignments are listed in the lessons tab under the appropriate week. You will have one written homework assignments to to me at during the semester. It will be due on Saturday, 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, of Week 6. The writing assignment should be double spaced, Times New Roman Font 12, five pages long. In addition to five pages of text, there should be a title page, endnotes and a bibliography of at least five sources. Do not list Wikipedia, a dictionary, the Bible, or the 1912 online Catholic Encyclopedia, as sources in your bibliography. Use magisterial or academic references. You may use class readings in your bibliography, but they will not count as any of the five sources. Note: these are research papers. The research paper must be submitted to me as a PDF. I will not accept a paper submitted in any other format. If you need an extension on the writing assignment, please request it via at least one week before the due date. If I do not receive a request, I will reduce the grade of the writing assignment by 1/2 grade each day that it is late. Thus an A writing assignment that is two days late could not receive a grade higher than B+. I am willing to grant extensions for serious reasons, such as health. The written assignment addresses Learning Objectives Term Paper Week 6: Imagine a nominal Catholic, one not well informed in the teachings of the Church, approaches you and argues that due to population growth, birth control should be allowed within marriage. Using the knowledge you have obtained in reading about Catholic sexual ethics develop a well thought out, intelligent, cogent argument articulating the Church s teaching on this issue. Remember that as a future Catholic evangelist and leader, you must answer arguments politely, defining terms, using themes a person can remember, taking into account the information the other has in his or her possession. You will have a term paper to to me at ctoolin@holyapostles.edu by Friday, 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, of week 15. The paper should be double spaced, Times New Roman Font 12, at least ten pages long. In addition to at least ten pages of text, there should be a title page, endnotes and a bibliography of sources you have used in constructing your answer. The term paper addresses Learning Outcome 3. Imagine you are having dinner with two Catholic friends. One is a fully Catholic person, but is not well acquainted with Catholic teaching on equality between the sexes. The other is a good person, but a nominal Catholic with secular leanings. He interprets Church teaching on the equality of the sexes as meaning sameness. Using the knowledge you have obtained in reading about Catholic sexual ethics this semester, develop a well thought out, intelligent, cogent argument articulating the Church s teaching on this matter. Remember that as a future Catholic evangelist and leader, you 6

7 must answer arguments politely, defining terms, using themes people can remember, taking into account the information the others have in their possession. 7. GRADING Writing Assignment 30% Term Paper 40% Discussion and Reponses 30% 8. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY Students at Holy Apostles College & Seminary are expected to practice academic honesty. Avoiding Plagiarism In its broadest sense, plagiarism is using someone else's work or ideas, presented or claimed as your own. At this stage in your academic career, you should be fully conscious of what it means to plagiarize. This is an inherently unethical activity because it entails the uncredited use of someone else's expression of ideas for another's personal advancement; that is, it entails the use of a person merely as a means to another person s ends. Students, where applicable: Should identify the title, author, page number/webpage address, and publication date of works when directly quoting small portions of texts, articles, interviews, or websites. Students should not copy more than two paragraphs from any source as a major component of papers or projects. Should appropriately identify the source of information when paraphrasing (restating) ideas from texts, interviews, articles, or websites. Should follow the Holy Apostles College & Seminary Stylesheet (available on the Online Writing Lab s website at Consequences of Academic Dishonesty: Because of the nature of this class, academic dishonesty is taken very seriously. Students participating in academic dishonesty may be removed from the course and from the program. 9. ATTENDANCE POLICY Students are expected to attend class (as measured by participation on the discussion board or submission of written work) unless excused. NB: An Incomplete may only be awarded to a student who has maintained a passing grade up to the point of the emergency. Incomplete grades will change to a grade of F unless the requirements stipulated on the incomplete form are met by the date listed. 10. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR I am a Professor of Dogmatic and Moral Theology at Holy Apostles, where I have worked since I hold a Ph.D. and an M.A. in sociology from the University of Massachusetts, a ninety credit M.A. in theology from Holy Apostles, and an S.T.L. in moral theology from Dominican House of Studies. 7