The mission of the Theology Department is to follow the rich Benedictine intellectual tradition in preparing students to seriously consider the spiritual dimension of life, thought and study through the discipline of theology.
The department recognizes that “Theology plays a particularly important role in the search for a synthesis of knowledge as well as . . . . dialogue between faith and reason. It serves all other disciplines in their search for meaning, not only by helping them to investigate how their discoveries will affect individuals and society but also by bringing a perspective and an orientation not contained within their own methodologies. In turn, interaction with these other disciplines and their discoveries enriches theology, offering it a better understanding of the world today, and making theological research more relevant to current needs.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catholic Universities, § 19)
The Theology department at St. Vincent College does theology from a Catholic perspective, as explicated by the Second Vatican Council.
The Department of Theology offers a major and a minor:
• A Bachelor of Arts in Theology
• A minor in Theology
The Theology department meets its missions by having its majors and minors achieve the following goals:
1) Interpret the Bible through scholarly methods utilized by the discipline
2) Understand and contextualize the major doctrines of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular
3) Draw out ethical implications of the Catholic intellectual tradition
4) Engage in mutually enriching dialogue with other intellectual and religious traditions
5) Recognize Benedictine contributions to the Catholic theological tradition.
Theology Core
The department believes that the study of theology is an integral part of a liberal arts education and understands that: “While each discipline is taught systematically and according to its own methods, interdisciplinary studies, assisted by a careful and thorough study of philosophy and theology, enable students to acquire an organic vision of reality and to develop a continuing desire for intellectual progress.” (Pope John Paul II, On Catholic Universities, § 20)
Thus, all students take three courses (9 credits) in theology as part of the Core Curriculum. It is required that all students begin with TH 119, Exploring Religious Meaning, normally in their freshman year. Students must then take a 200-level theology course and a 300-level theology course. Upon completion of these courses students will have met the college Theology core goals:
1) Understand the meaning of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures and the various methods necessary for further study. (Achieved in TH 119)
2) Understand the relevance of the Judeo-Christian tradition to contemporary issues such as social justice, racism, and personal fulfillment. (Achieved by any 200-level theology course.)
3) Understand the ecumenical Catholic approach, as articulated by the Second Vatican Council, to the true and holy as expressed in other religious traditions. (Achieved by any 300-level theology course.)
Theology Department Web Site
