Moral and Spiritual Theology

MT 601 - Principles of Christian Moral Life I (3)
A two-semester exploration of the Catholic moral tradition from scriptural, doctrinal, historical, and systematic perspectives. The doctrinal part is supplemented by a continual reference to Scriptural moral teachings; the historical survey probes the specific contributions of the various Christian ages to Catholic morality; the systematic treatment uncovers the foundational moral teachings of St. Thomas as expressed in the Summa Theologiae along with their metaphysical, anthropological, and theological roots. Happiness and human ends, actions and passions, and sin and virtue are placed within a moral setting enclosed within the larger domain of divine grace penetrating human nature. Contemporary theological approaches are examined in order to assess their contributions and shortcomings.

MT 611 - Theological Virtues (3)
This class examines in depth St. Thomas Aquinas's teaching on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity as expressed in the Summa Theologiae. Textual analysis will serve to uncover the systematic power of the treatise on the theological virtues as well as the treatise's role within St. Thomas's larger theological vision. Attention is given to the Scriptural roots of this teaching on the theological virtues and the placement of these virtues within the Catholic theological tradition.