TH 016 INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY SPIRITUALITY SECULAR AND CHRISTIAN 2012 Prof. James Weiss Tel. 617 552 3897 21 Campanella Office Bldg. #352 james.weiss@bc.edu Office Hour after Class or by other appointment NOTE: This syllabus was formulated in July, 2012. Minor changes may occur in it before the first class on Sept. 10. These will be announced at that time. The course explores secular and Christian spirituality. We begin by examining spirituality in its broad, non-religious sense. Then we focus on some Christian traditions, both Catholic and Protestant. The course uses traditional lectures but also the shared learning dynamics of frequent discussion. In addition to a general theory with historical examples, we plunge into specific life stories wherein Christian practices shape the decisions, emotions, and viewpoints of contemporary people. Therefore, your role in discussion and your ability to share reflections based on our readings are essential to your progress. Frequent quizzes emphasize the need for class preparation, in order to guarantee informed discussions. Books Required 1. Richard FOSTER, Streams of Living Water 2. Richard ROLHEISER, The Holy Longing 3. Etty HILLESUM, A Life Interrupted and Letters from Westerbork 4. Kathleen NORRIS, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography 5. Coursepack of photocopied articles (Note: The Coursepack might be replaced by putting these readings on O Neill Library E-reserves.) 6. John Dillenberger & Claude Welch readings on Protestantism are on O Neill library on-line E-reserves Assignments Mid-term Essay 25% Assigned October 15, due Oct. 26 3PM McGuinn 100 Final Essay 30% Assigned December 10, due Dec. 17, 6 PM Discussion 20% Ongoing Quizzes 25% Sept. 17, 24; Oct. 1, 15, 29; Nov. 19, 26; Dec. 3, 10 Our Class does not meet on Monday, October 10 (Columbus Day). Class IS held on November 21, the Monday before Thanksgiving. In fact, there is a major quiz on that evening. Absence on November 21 is not excused for holiday travel. VERY IMPORTANT!! E-mail communication to the class is sent to your BC AGORA account. If you normally read e-mail on a different account, set you BC account to forward e-mail. You are responsible for all e-mails sent to you.
2 Disabilities If you have a documented learning disability and need reasonable accommodations in this course, please contact the Connors Family Learning Center (617-552-8093); regarding all other types of disabilities, please contact the Disability Services Office (617-552- 3470). Attendance A clear, firm policy on absences assures better learning for you and fairness to all students. Excused absence is an absence with permission for an urgent and documentable reason. To have your absence excused, you must communicate your reason to the professor within 24 hours after class and receive his agreement that the absence is excused. An excused absence does not count against you, but see the Policy on Missed Quizzes, below. Unexcused absence is absence without communication to and permission from the professor. Beginning with the first unexcused absence, your final grade will be dropped by.20 (e.g., from 2.9 [=B] to 2.7 [=B-]); upon your third, by.30 and so forth. NEW Feature on Participation You receive a participation advisory grade around midterm. If you earn a final participation grade falls of C+ or lower, then half your participation grade will be the value of your quiz scores. I can explain the rationale for this if you ask me. Policy on Missed Quizzes If you miss a quiz, you must submit in the following class a one-paragraph summary of each of the readings that was assigned for the quiz you missed. This is true except for the double credit quiz on Protestantism, held either Nov. 19 or 26. That quiz will not allow a later make-up, but a 4 to 5 page paper. ** Note: That quiz is worth two quizzes. NEW Feature for quizzes! This will happen many, but not all, weeks. In response to student requests, and to help you prepare for quizzes, by Friday before a Monday class, you will receive an e-mail to guide you for the next week s quiz. It will offer you points to be able to define or describe. These will cover the previous class lecture and the readings due the following week. (I.E., by September 14 you ll receive points on the previous lecture and the next week s readings.) From those points, about 5 will appear on the quiz. Late Work If you know you will submit a late assignment, discuss it with the professor. Late work might not be read until there is enough of it to read in a group together. Academic Integrity You are responsible for knowing the University policy governing academic integrity, cheating, collusion, plagiarism, citation of research materials, and more. This link takes you to the page on Academic Policies and Procedures. http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/resources/policy.html#integrity Click on the top item in the right column. Any quotations from class readings or other sources must be noted as such, giving author and page. Any use of Internet or Wikipedia materials must give the exact link and date on which you accessed it. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism, which can result in an F for the assignment or, depending on the seriousness of the case, for the entire course.
3 SYLLABUS OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS 1) September 10 Meanings of Spirituality Introduction to the content of the course and the process of shared learning Lecture on Spirituality. This opening lecture will refer to these readings and topics which will be on NEXT week s quiz. (1) Topics: Seekers, Dwellers, and Practitioners (2) Coursepack articles by Tillich, Roy, Camus, Kurtz (3) Rolheiser, chapter 1 2) September 17 Experiences & Practices of Spirituality Readings Due: Tillich, Rolheiser, Roy, Camus, Kurtz (all in Coursepack) Quiz on contents of all readings except for TIllich Discussion on Roy and Camus: How do the persons and experiences in Roy and Camus help us understand theories of spirituality in Rolheiser, Tillich, and the first lecture? Lecture on a form of contemporary secular spirituality: 12 Step Programs as Spiritual See article by Kurtz in Coursepack Introduction to Etty Hillesum 3) September 24 1- A Life in Spiritual Transformation, Part 1 2- Fundamentals of Christian Spirituality: Values & Practices Readings Due: Hillesum, pages 3-143 (about 30 pages omitted; list given in class) Byron and Downey articles in coursepack Quiz on contents of Etty Hillesum, pages 3 to 143 (top) Discussion of Etty Hillesum, Part I Lecture to conclude last week s material and begin the fundamentals of Christian spirituality (incl. articles by Downey and Byron in coursepack) 4) October 1 1- A Life in Spiritual Transformation, Part 2 2- Fundamentals of Christian Spirituality, Jesus s Basic Teachings Readings Due: Hillesum, pages 143-213, 361-364 (more omissions announced) Quiz on contents of Etty Hillesum Discussion of Etty with concluding Lecture on her Lecture on Byron, Downey, and Rolheiser chaps. 2,3 and on Jesus s Farewell Discourse, Sermon on the Mount, and 3 Parables (Handouts)
4 NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 8 5) October 15 Christian Spirituality: Incarnational & Catholic Varieties Readings for Lecture: Jesus s speeches, Rolheiser chaps. 4&5, Foster chap. 7 Quiz on Jesus s speeches (last week s handouts), Foster ch. 7, and last week s lecture Lecture on incarnational spirituality and prayer (Rolheiser, chapters 4,5; Foster, chapter 7) Lecture on classic forms of Roman Catholic spirituality Discussion at end of class, time permitting Essay assigned tonight, due Friday, October 26 by 3 PM in McGuinn 100 6) October 22 Catholicism in Transition since 1960 Essay due this coming Friday, Oct. 26, hard copy in McGuinn 100 The e-mail text must contain your paper along with your attachment! Readings to catch up on after you turn in your paper: Foster, chapter 3 Lecture on changes in Catholicism after Vatican II Lecture on spirituality in the holiness tradition (Foster, chapter 3) Video in class 7) October 29 The Experience of Incarnational Spirituality (Catholic & Protestant) Readings Due: Dakota, pages 1-123 with omitted passages as announced Quiz on Dakota, pages 1 to 123 (Don t worry; it reads fast! It s like diary entries.) as well as on last week s lecture on Catholicism after Vatican II Concluding Lecture on Catholic Spirituality, if needed Discussion of Dakota 8) November 5 Protestant Spirituality, Part 1 Readings Due: Dillenberger & Welch chapter 2 (E-reserve O Neill), Allik (Coursepack) No quiz Lecture on Dakota Lecture on principles of Protestant spirituality, Part I
5 9) November 12 Protestant Spirituality, Part 1 continued and Part 2 Readings Due: Dillenberger & Welch, ch. 3, pages 53-62; ch. 5 (E-reserve O Neill); Foster, ch. 4 Lecture on alternative types of Protestant spirituality: Baptist, Puritan, Quaker Lecture on modern Protestantism: mainline, progressive, evangelical, fundamentalist Video in class No quiz 10) November 19 Protestant Spirituality, concluded First quiz on Protestantism (materials covered up to last class) Class IS held on November 21, the Monday before Thanksgiving. Absence that night is not excused for holiday travel. 11) November 26 Spirituality of Social Justice Second quiz on Protestantism (all materials since November 5) Lecture and Discussion on the spirituality of social justice Readings due Rolheiser, chapter 8; Foster, chapter 5 Lecture on the spirituality of social justice (Rolheiser, chapter 8; Foster, chapter 5) Discussion on spirituality of social justice 12) December 3 Spirituality of Everyday Work & Career Quiz on spirituality of work from Haughey & Keeley articles (Coursepack), other handouts, and last week s lecture Lecture, concluded Discussion of the spirituality of work, career, and calling 13) December 10 Quiz on materials to be announced This course inevitably runs behind schedule. Our last class will catch up. Final essay assigned this evening, due next Monday by 7 PM, McGuinn 100.