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Theology and Religious Studies

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Theology and Religious Studies (B.A.)

Theology and Religious Studies (Minor)

Theology and Religious Studies (B.A.)

This program invites students to examine the significance of religious experience through the disciplines of theology and religious studies. Courses explore the human encounter with the divine through its historical and contemporary expressions in the lives of individuals and communities.

As a Catholic university, Marymount offers courses that examine the richness of the Catholic faith and its theological heritage. This program offers introductory and advanced courses in systematic and moral theology, scripture studies, and church history. These theology courses are combined with religious studies courses that introduce students to the complexity of the religious experience in human existence, the major religious traditions of the world, and the interaction of religion and culture. The department reflects the university’s emphasis on ethics by offering an array of courses concerned with social justice and employing service learning.

The major in theology and religious studies aims to develop in students a critical understanding of basic religious beliefs and their embodiment in dynamic religious traditions. The approach to theology and religious studies is critical and analytical. Students in the major are expected to take introductory courses in both theology and religious studies. Students will then concentrate their upper-division courses. Senior students complete a senior seminar, which assesses the comprehensive knowledge of the student and requires a thesis.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to

demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the moral and spiritual dimension of the self and the individual’s role in establishing a just community;
demonstrate an awareness of the dialogue between faith and reason;
demonstrate an awareness of elementary scriptural, historical, and doctrinal source materials;
demonstrate respect for the dignity of the human person and for the condition of human diversity through thoughtful engagement with diverse religious traditions;
practice civil engagement through discussion of religious differences and the possibility of pluralism; and
demonstrate a global and historical perspective by examining a wide range of religious traditions in their cultural contexts.

Degree Planning: Students in this program who are interested in pursuing graduate studies are strongly encouraged to take a foreign language to fulfill the Global Perspective component of the University Requirements, as well as the history of philosophy sequence, PH 325 Ancient Philosophy and PH 326 Medieval Philosophy.

Degree Requirements — Theology and Religious Studies

Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements

See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details. Theology and religious studies majors will satisfy the three-course university Writing-Intensive (WI) requirement in the following way: TRS 499 Senior Seminar and two (2) elective courses from TRS 320 American Religious History, TRS 361 Grace and Sin, Heaven and Hell, TRS 362 Friendship, Marriage, and God, TRS 380 Early Christian History, and TRS 381 Medieval and Reformed Theology.

Major Requirements

To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with a faculty advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry

TRS 201 Understanding Religion

TRS 202 Religions of the World

TRS 400 Internship

TRS 451 Christian Faith in the Modern World

TRS 499 Senior Seminar

One (1) course from the following: TRS 251 The Religion of the Old Testament, TRS 260 The New Testament Gospels, TRS 261 The New Testament Epistles

One (1) course from the following: TRS 380 The History of the Early Church, TRS 381 Medieval and Reformed Theology, TRS 382 The Church in the Modern World

Marymount University

Theology and Religious Studies

Theology and Religious Studies (B.A.)

Theology and Religious Studies (Minor)