Core 9 - Toward a Christian Humanism - Term 091

Core 9 Faculty

• John Jezierski, MSN - Nursing
• Dr. John Nichols - Philosophy
• Fr. Timothy McFarland, C.PP.S. - Religion
• Bro. Robert Reuter, C.PP.S. - Philosophy (Director of Core 9)
• Sr. Patricia Robinson, B.V.M. - Sociology

Guest Lecturers

• Dr. Michael Malone - Philosophy
• Dr. Thomas Ryan - Education
• Fr. Kevin Scalf, C.PP.S. - SJC Chaplain
• Dr. Ilicia Sprey - History
• Dr. Jody Taylor Watkins - Reference Librarian

Core 9 Required Texts

• Core 9 Syllabus
• Bible (Please obtain this book on your own.)
• Eucharist, by Robert Barron
• The Gift of Peace, by Cardinal Bernardin
• Faith Among Faiths: Christian Theology and Non-Christian Religions, by James L. Fredericks
• Jesus the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives, by Brennan Hill
• The Christian Vision of Humanity: Basic Christian Anthropology, by John R. Sachs
• Night, by Elie Wiesel

Core 9 Readings

• Barron, Robert. Eucharist. New York: Orbis, 2008.
• Bernardin, Joseph Cardinal. The Gift of Peace: Personal Reflections by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin. Chicago: Layola Press, 1997.
• Begely, Sharon. "The Anatomy of Violence." Newsweek April 30, 2007. Vol. 148, Issue 18. 10 July 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=24834402&site=ehost-live&scope=site
• "The Book of Genesis" (selections) and "The Book of Job" (selections) Note: You are responsible for obtaining these texts.
• Byron, William J. "The Building Blocks of Catholic Social Teaching." America. 179 October 1998: 9-12. 10 July 2007. http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&an=1236498
• Fredericks, James. L. Faith Among Faiths: Christian Theology and Non-Christian Religions. New York: Paulist Press, 1999.
• Fuellenbach, John. "Kingdom of God as Principle of Action in the Church." Annual meeting of The Reformed-Roman Catholic Dialogue. Zeninghuis, Oegstgeest, Netherlands. November 20, 1999. May 29 2007. http://www.sedos.org/english/fuellenbach.htm
• Gilkey, Langdon, "Creation and Evil." Maker of Heaven and Earth. New edition. University Press of America, 1985. 209-246.
• Hick, John. "There is a Reason Why God Allows Evil." Philosophy of Religion. Third edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1963. 40-46.
• Hill, Brennan R. Jesus the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives. New Edition. Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications, 2004.
• Patella, Micheal F., O.S.B. The Gospel According to Luke. Collegeville Bible Commentary, New Testament Volume 3. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2005.
• Reuter, Robert, C.PP.S. "A Word About Truth." Saint Joseph's College. Rensselaer, IN, May 2008.
• Ruether, Rosemary Radford. "Ecojustice at the Center of the Church's Mission." Mission Studies 16, no. 1 (1999): 111-121. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed June 25, 2008). http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0000995767&site=ehost-live&scope=site
• Sachs, John R. The Christian Vision of Humanity: Basic Christian Anthropology. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1991.
• Schreiter, Robert, C.PP.S. "Can We Forgive 9/11?" St. Anthony Messenger Press, September 2006. http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Sep2006/Feature3.asp
• "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." All Human Rights for All. No date given. Access May 15, 2005. http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
• Wiesel, Elie. Night. Trans. Marion Wiesel. New York: Hill and Wang, 2006.

Collegial Agreements

The Core Nine Faculty have agreed on the following guidelines for writing assignments this semester:

1. Each student will be responsible for a minimum of 25 pages of written work over the semester.
2. One writing assignment common to all sections of Core Nine will be a personal "Christian Manifesto."
3. Since we are working toward a Christian Humanism that is respectful of all human persons, we ask you to try to avoid the use of exclusive or sexist language both in your written work and in class discussions.

Lecture and Reading Schedule

Unit I: In the Presence of Evil

M August 24 - The Challenge of Christian Humanism

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: Syllabus, pp. 10-14

W August 26 - A World of Suffering

• Lecturer: Dr. Ilicia Sprey
• Reading: Night, Elie Wiesel

M August 31 - The Problem of Evil

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: Syllabus:
"Creation and Evil," pp. 15-25
"There is a Reason Why God Allows Evil," pp. 26-30

W September 2 - Never Again! The Call for Universal Vision

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Syllabus:
"Universal Declaration of Human Rights," pp. 31-34
"Parliament of World Religions' Global Ethic," pp. 35-42

W September 9 - The Meaning of Suffering

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Syllabus:
"The Anatomy of Violence," pp. 43-48
"Can We Forgive 9/11?" pp. 49-53
Book of Job, selections: Chs. 1-6, 38-42, Epilogue

Unit II: Creation In the Image of God

M September 14 - What Does "Creation" Mean?

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Sachs pp. 5-25;
"Introduction"
"Creation in God's Image"
Book of Genesis, selections:
Chs.1-2, ch. 6: v.5-11, ch. 8: v.20-22, ch.9: v.1-19

W September 16 - Freedom and Community

• Lecturer: Sr. Patricia Robinson
• Reading: Sachs, pp. 27-42
"The Gift of Human Freedom"
"The Individual in Community"

M September 21 - The Fully Human Person

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Sachs, pp. 43-58
"Humanity: Male and Female"
"Body and Soul"

W September 23 - Sin and Grace: Undoing and Uplifting

• Lecturer: Dr. Michael Malone
• Reading: Sachs, pp. 59-74
"Sin"
"Grace: The Gift of God's Life"

M September 28 - The "Ends" (destiny, meaning, finality) of Human Life

• Lecturer: Dr. Thomas Ryan
• Reading: Sachs, pp. 75-112
"The Mystery of Death"
"Resurrection of the Body"
"Our Final Destiny"

Unit III: Jesus the Christ

W September 30 - People, Places and Customs in Jesus' Time

• Lecturer: Fr. Kevin Scalf
• Reading: Hill, pp. 1-23
"Introduction"
"People and Places"

M October 5 - Luke: the Gospel of Universal Salvation

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: The Gospel of Luke, Chs. 1-12

W October 7 - Luke: The Gospel of Compassion

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: The Gospel of Luke Chs. 13-24

M October 12 - Teacher and Miracle Worker

• Lecturer: Dr. Jody Taylor-Watkins
• Reading: Hill, pp. 42-87
"Teacher and Prophet"
"Worker of Mighty Deeds"

W October 14 - The Birth Stories

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Hill, pp. 24-41; 88-100
"Searching for the Historical Jesus"
"The Birth Stories"

M October 19 - Death and Resurrection

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Hill, pp. 101-139
"The Passion Stories"
"Raised from the Dead"

W October 21 - Savior and Salvation

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: Hill, pp. 177-219
"Savior"
"Liberator"

M October 26 - The Green Jesus: Christology and the Environment

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Syllabus: pp. 54-60
"Ecojustice at the Center of the Church’s Mission"
Hill, pp. 160-176
"Christology and the Environment"

W October 28 - Clarifying the Faith

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Hill, pp. 220-238
"Early Doctrines"

Unit 1V: Jesus and the Kingdom of God

M November 2 - The Kingdom of God and Other Religions

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Syllabus: pp. 61-73
"The Kingdom of God as Principle of Action in the Church"
Fredericks, pp. 1-36
"Introduction"
"Before Pluralism"

W November 4 - Many Religions: Critical Thinking

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: Syllabus: "A Word About Truth," pp. 74-76
Fredericks, pp. 37-54; pp. 103-118
"John Hick's Copernican Revolution"
"How Helpful Is Pluralism?"

M November 9 - Solution: Comparative Theology

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Fredericks, pp. 162-180
"After Pluralism: Doing Theology Comparatively"
Syllabus: "Islam at a Glance", pp. 77-81

Unit V: Christian Living

W November 11 - Eucharist: Sharing Our Hunger

• Lecturer: Sr. Patricia Robinson
• Reading: Barron, pp. 9-61
"Introduction"
"The Eucharist as Sacred Meal"

M November 16 - Eucharist: Giving Thanks, Giving Life

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Barron, pp. 62-94
"The Eucharist as Sacrifice"

W November 18 - Eucharist: "Source and Summit"

• Lecturer: Bro. Rob Reuter
• Reading: Barron, pp. 95-141
"If It's Only a Symbol, to Hell with It"
"The Emmaus Supper"

M November 30 - Reconciliation

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: Bernardin, pp. vii-41
"Part One: False Accusation"

W December 2 - Our Brother Joseph

• Lecturer: PBS DVD
• Reading: Bernardin, pp. 45-154
"Part Two: Cancer"
"Part Three: A Priest First, A Patient Second"
"Part Four: Befriending Death"

M December 7 - Faith, Reason, Action - The Christian Humanist Synthesis

• Lecturer: Dr. John Nichols
• Reading: Syllabus, pp. 82-86
"Ten Building Blocks of Catholic Social Teaching"
Syllabus: pp. 10-14

W December 9 - From Nine to Ten: Now What?

• Lecturer: Fr. Tim McFarland
• Reading: None! Merry Christmas!

Core 9 Internet Sources (links checked 05/09)

• United States Holocaust Museum
• Yad Vashem
• Human Rights Resource Center - A number of resources on human rights can be found on this site.
• From Jesus to Christ - A PBS site with some interesting information about the world of Jesus, his ministry and a bit of historical context.

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