Christian Theology in the Liberal Arts

Christian theology is the religion’s sustained discourse about God and the human experience of God. After exploring Christianity’s role in the historical development of western liberal arts, we will ask what place, if any, theological study has in modern secular liberal arts education. Reading primarily modern theologians, we will ask what intellectual value theological study holds for people who do not identify with Christianity. We will consider the impact of critical thinking, cultivated by the liberal arts, on adherents’ examination of their theological tradition. And we will examine the relationship between theological studies and other intellectual disciplines, including other approaches to the academic study of religion. (RELI 130, RELI 230, RELI 231, or RELI 236) 3 hrs. sem.