Theology, B.A.

The Department of Theology offers two tracks within its B.A. degree program.

Track one of the theology B.A. is designed for students who want to engage in the full range and diversity of theological inquiry. It also prepares students for most graduate programs in theology. In addition to THE 105 (or THE 101 for transfer students only) and THE 205, majors in this track take 28 credit hours of upper-division courses, six credit hours of which may be fulfilled with 300-level courses, or a 300-level course and a THEP course. All other courses must be taken at the 400-level, and courses taken at the 300-level may not be retaken at the 400-level, or vice versa. Students will fulfill 18 of the required 28 credit hours by taking one course from each of the six sub-disciplines of theology: biblical studies, historical theology, systematic theology, theological ethics, liturgical and sacramental theology, and spirituality. The remaining 10 credit hours are fulfilled by taking the capstone thesis (THE 498), the one-credit hour senior presentation (THE 499), and 6 credit hours of electives.

Track two of the theology B.A. is designed for students with a focused interest in theology and for students wanting to double-major in theology. In addition to THE 105 (or THE 101 for transfer students only) and THE 205, majors in track two take 28 credit hours of upper-division courses, six credit hours of which may be fulfilled with 300-level courses, or a 300-level course and a THEP course. All other courses must be taken at the 400-level and courses taken at the 300-level may not be retaken at the 400-level, or vice versa. Students will fulfill 18 of the required 28 credit hours by taking 9 credit hours in each of two broad groups of offerings: a historical-theoretical group (comprising biblical studies, historical theology, and systematic theology), and a practical-applied group (comprising sacramental and liturgical theology, spirituality, and theological ethics). The remaining 10 credit hours are fulfilled by taking the one-credit hour senior presentation (THE 499) and 9 credit hours of electives.

University Core Curriculum Requirements — 40 credit hours

All University of Portland students progress through a set of shared course options as part of the University’s liberal arts Core Curriculum. This curriculum offers a foundation of multiple lenses to address enduring questions of human concern, integrating the liberal arts, the University mission, and the knowledge, skills, and values needed in a diverse society and in the workplace.

See Core Curriculum Requirements

THE 4XX and THE 498 are the designated Writing in the Discipline courses for the B.A. in Theology.

College of Arts and Sciences B.A. Requirements — 24-33 credit hours

See College Requirements, B.A.

Major requirements — 28 credit hours

Track One:

Biblical Studies - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 400/THE 300God Our Mother

3

THE 402/THE 302Poets, Prophets, Divas, and Diviners

3

THE 404/THE 304Sages and Singers, Songwriters and Storytellers

3

THE 406/THE 306The Bible in a Global Village

3

THE 407/THE 307Theology and Controversy in the Letters of Paul

3

THE 412/THE 312Jesus' Ministry in the Gospels

3

THE 417/THE 317Trickery, Gender, Power, and Politics in the Bible

3

THE 419/THE 319Biblical Spirituality: Saints and Sinners on a Journey with God

3

Historical Theology - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 433/THE 333Theological Implications of the Holocaust

3

THE 460/THE 360Christianity's First Thousand Years: Emergence and Growth, 100-1200

3

THE 461/THE 361Christianity's Second Thousand Years: Challenge and Renewal, 1200-2000

3

THE 463/THE 363Saint Augustine, Teacher of Christianity

3

THE 465/THE 365A Concise History of Christianity Through Twenty Centuries

3

THE 466/THE 366Byzantine Christianity

3

THE 467/THE 367Race and Ethnicity in Ancient Christianity

3

THE 468/THE 368Violence in Ancient Christianity

3

Systemic Theology - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 405/THE 305Comparing Religions of the World

3

THE 450/THE 350Grace, Sin, and the Human Condition

3

THE 451/THE 351Religions of Africa

3

THE 452/THE 352God and the Human Person

3

THE 453/THE 353Religion and Science

3

THE 455/THE 355Christology

3

THE 456/THE 356Literary Catholicism

3

THE 457/THE 357Foundations of Catholic Theology

3

THE 459/THE 359Theological Themes in Catholic Literature

3

THE 471/THE 371Heaven, Hell and Hope

3

THE 472/THE 372Theologies of Encounter

3

Theological Ethics - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 420/THE 320Christian Personal Values

3

THE 422/THE 322Modern Catholic Ethics

3

THE 423/THE 323Christian Social Ethics

3

THE 424/THE 324The Character Project

3

THE 425/THE 325Catholic Social Teaching: A Living Tradition of Thought and Action

3

THE 426/THE 326Christian Marriage: Tradition and the Modern Context

3

THE 429/THE 329Theological Bioethics: Liberationist, Feminist, and Global

3

THE 430/THE 330Environmental Justice and Interreligious Dialogue

3

THE 431/THE 331Sexual Ethics

3

THE 432/THE 332Intercultural Feminist Theology

3

THE 464/THE 364Christianity, Gender, and Sexuality

3

Sacramental and Liturgical Theology - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 434/THE 334Sacramental Imagination

3

THE 435/THE 335Theology of Christian Worship

3

THE 436/THE 336Rituals, Worship, and Ethics

3

Spirituality - 3 credit hours

Select one course from the following:
THE 441/THE 341Responding to God: An Introduction to Spiritual Practice

3

THE 442/THE 342Introduction to Christian Spirituality

3

THE 443/THE 343Ecological Spirituality

3

THE 444/THE 344Spirituality and the Arts

3

Upper-Division Theology Electives - 6 credit hours

Capstone Thesis - 3 credit hours

THE 498Capstone Thesis

3

Senior Presentation - 1 credit hour

THE 499Senior Presentation

1

Track Two:

Historical-Theoretical - 9 credit hours

Select three courses from the following:
THE 400/THE 300God Our Mother

3

THE 402/THE 302Poets, Prophets, Divas, and Diviners

3

THE 404/THE 304Sages and Singers, Songwriters and Storytellers

3

THE 405/THE 305Comparing Religions of the World

3

THE 406/THE 306The Bible in a Global Village

3

THE 407/THE 307Theology and Controversy in the Letters of Paul

3

THE 412/THE 312Jesus' Ministry in the Gospels

3

THE 417/THE 317Trickery, Gender, Power, and Politics in the Bible

3

THE 419/THE 319Biblical Spirituality: Saints and Sinners on a Journey with God

3

THE 433/THE 333Theological Implications of the Holocaust

3

THE 450/THE 350Grace, Sin, and the Human Condition

3

THE 451/THE 351Religions of Africa

3

THE 452/THE 352God and the Human Person

3

THE 453/THE 353Religion and Science

3

THE 455/THE 355Christology

3

THE 456/THE 356Literary Catholicism

3

THE 457/THE 357Foundations of Catholic Theology

3

THE 459/THE 359Theological Themes in Catholic Literature

3

THE 460/THE 360Christianity's First Thousand Years: Emergence and Growth, 100-1200

3

THE 461/THE 361Christianity's Second Thousand Years: Challenge and Renewal, 1200-2000

3

THE 463/THE 363Saint Augustine, Teacher of Christianity

3

THE 465/THE 365A Concise History of Christianity Through Twenty Centuries

3

THE 466/THE 366Byzantine Christianity

3

THE 467/THE 367Race and Ethnicity in Ancient Christianity

3

THE 468/THE 368Violence in Ancient Christianity

3

THE 471/THE 371Heaven, Hell and Hope

3

THE 472/THE 372Theologies of Encounter

3

Applied Practical - 9 credit hours

Select three courses from the following:
THE 420/THE 320Christian Personal Values

3

THE 422/THE 322Modern Catholic Ethics

3

THE 423/THE 323Christian Social Ethics

3

THE 424/THE 324The Character Project

3

THE 425/THE 325Catholic Social Teaching: A Living Tradition of Thought and Action

3

THE 426/THE 326Christian Marriage: Tradition and the Modern Context

3

THE 429/THE 329Theological Bioethics: Liberationist, Feminist, and Global

3

THE 430/THE 330Environmental Justice and Interreligious Dialogue

3

THE 431/THE 331Sexual Ethics

3

THE 432/THE 332Intercultural Feminist Theology

3

THE 434/THE 334Sacramental Imagination

3

THE 435/THE 335Theology of Christian Worship

3

THE 436/THE 336Rituals, Worship, and Ethics

3

THE 441/THE 341Responding to God: An Introduction to Spiritual Practice

3

THE 442/THE 342Introduction to Christian Spirituality

3

THE 443/THE 343Ecological Spirituality

3

THE 444/THE 344Spirituality and the Arts

3

THE 464/THE 364Christianity, Gender, and Sexuality

3

Upper-Division Theology Electives - 9 credit hours

Senior Presentation - 1 credit hour

THE 499Senior Presentation

1

Any additional credit hours required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours

Total Credit Hours: 120