SACRED HEART MAJOR SEMINARY

2701 Chicago Boulevard

Detroit, Michigan 48206

Course Syllabus

THE 123 – Introduction to Theology: Who Made Me?

Winter 2008
Wednesdays
6:30 – 8:30 pm

Instructor: Mr. James R. Koelsch, BChE, MTS Phone: (734) 287-8199

Part-Time Professor E-mail: J.Koelsch@juno.com
Hours: By Appointment

I. Course Description 2 credit hours

This course serves as an introduction to the undergraduate study of theology and pastoral
ministry. Its scope includes an introduction to the sources and resources of theology, the
major doctrines of the Catholic Church, and an introduction to theological method.

II. Required Texts

A. Books

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd edition. Washington, D.C.: United States
Catholic Conference Inc.–Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2000. ISBN: 1-57455-
109-4.

Holy Bible, Catholic Edition. Either the Revised Standard Version (RSV) or the
New American Bible (NAB) is preferred, but any modern translation will be
adequate.

Ratzinger, Joseph. What it Means to be a Christian. San Francisco: Ignatius

Press, 2006. ISBN: 1-58617-133-X.

B. Other Required Sources

Augustine. Confessions. We will study only Chapters 4–7 of Book 11. The
translation by John K. Ryan (1960; ISBN: 0-385-02955-1) is in
contemporary English and, hence, is more readable, but an older translation
in the public domain is available for free on-line
Course Syllabus Introduction to Theology Winter 2008

(www.catholicfirst.com/thefaith/catholicclassics/staugustine/confessions01.cf
m).

John Paul II. Dives in Misericordia. We will study only paragraphs 1–2 and 4–6.
(www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0215/_INDEX.HTM)

John Paul II. Dominum et Vivificantem. We will study only paragraphs 1, 8–10,
22, and 27–29. (www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0142/_INDEX.HTM)

Newman, John Henry. “Discourse X: Faith and Private Judgment,” Discourses

Addressed to Mixed Congregations.
(www.newmanreader.org/works/discourses/discourse10.html)

Second Vatican Council. “General Principles for the Restoration and Promotion
of the Sacred Liturgy,” Chapter 1, Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution on
the Liturgy. We will study only paragraphs 5–14.
(www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm)

Second Vatican Council. “The Mystery of the Church,” Chapter 1, Lumen

Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.
(www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm)

Second Vatican Council. “The Laity,” Chapter 4, Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic

Constitution on the Church.
(www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm)

III. Student Outcomes

A. The student will demonstrate through oral and written presentation knowledge of
basic tenets of the Catholic faith and the ability to explain them.

B. The student will be prepared to deepen his or her own spiritual life as means to
improving ministerial practice.

C. The student will be introduced to one theological method and vocabulary.

D. The student will have occasion to relate course theory to pastoral practice.

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Course Syllabus Introduction to Theology Winter 2008

IV. Required Course Work and Grades

A. Overview

10% – Class participation. Attendance is required, but allowances will be made

for absences due to illness, job-related travel, and other good reasons. If
possible, please contact the professor before you miss a class.
15% – Quizzes. Short, announced and unannounced quizzes will cover the broad
themes in the assigned reading and will include two assignments from the
catechism. After the midterm exam, the quizzes will also ask for definitions
of basic terms covered since the prior quiz. The assignments will be
announced the week before the quiz and will be simple exercises in using the
indexes at the back of the Catechism.
25% – Four-page Paper. See below for details.
25% – Mid-term exam. A one-hour written exam.
25% – Final exam. This exam will be oral; see the questions below.

B. Final exam

Students will answer following questions orally. You should prepare and
practice your answers ahead of time, tailoring them to fit the allotted time
according to the proportions below.

1. What and Who is God? (60%)

2. What does he want, and how has he made this possible? (30%)

3. What is the Church, and who is in it? (10%)

C. Paper

The Second Vatican Council developed the doctrine of the laity’s role in the
Church’s mission of sanctifying the world. See paragraph 31 of Lumen Gentium
for a summary. In four pages, explain how lay people accomplish this mission,
according to Cardinal Ratzinger in What it means to be a Christian. Summarize
Ratzinger’s argument, and give two examples of how he used the theological
method to make his point. Due: March 26th.

Grading

25% – Quality of writing (good grammar, correct spelling, organization, and

clarity) and mechanics (compliance with page limit and specifications).
25% – Summary of Ratzinger’s Argument.
25% – Examples of the theological method.
25% – Explanation of how the argument expresses Lumen Gentium’s teaching on
mission of the laity.

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Course Syllabus Introduction to Theology Winter 2008

If you submit your paper on time or early, you will be have the opportunity to
increase your score by as many as 10 points by revising your paper based upon
the professor’s comments (exception: shortening long papers). You will have
one week from the time that the professor returns them. You must submit the
revised paper with the marked-up original.

Page Specifications:

All papers must be typed and include a cover sheet. Print your paper double-
spaced with 1-inch margins on standard 8½ by 11-inch letter size paper. Use 12-
pt Times New Roman or an equivalent font. Do not use subheads, and indent a
¼ inch rather than using a blank line between paragraphs.

Do NOT use footnotes. Put citations from Lumen Gentium, What it means to be
a Christian, and the Bible into the text. For example, (LG 31), (Ratzinger 19), or
(Gen 1:1). If you need to cite other sources (going to other sources is
discouraged), use endnotes. A bibliography page is unnecessary.

Do not exceed four pages. If you do, your grade will be based on the first four
pages, and a penalty will be deducted.

V. Class Schedule

Date Lecture Topic Assignment

January 9 1a Syllabus
1b The Catechism
January 16 2a What is Theology? CCC glossary, 27-49, 158, 236, 2033,
2038
2b God, Creator Gen 1:1-2:3
CCC 238-239, 269, 295-302, 325-343
Confessions 11:4-5
January 23 3a Faith, Objective Sense CCC 50-100, 105-108, 121-125, 127-
130, 186-187, 193-195
3b Faith, Subjective Sense CCC 142-169
January 30 4a Faith & Judgment Discourse X
4b Trinity CCC 232-234, 237, 240-241, 243,
249-267
Confessions 11:6-7
February 6 5a Man Gen 2:4-24
CCC 27-30, 306-308, 355-384, 1777-
1778, 1783-1784

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Course Syllabus Introduction to Theology Winter 2008

5b Sin and Evil Gen 3:1-7

CCC 309-312, 385-421, 1849-1850,
1854-1864
February 13 6a God, Merciful Father Gen 3:8-24
CCC 270-271, 240
DM 1-2, 4-6
6b The Person of Jesus CCC 422-425, 430, 436, 441-442,
446, 448, 461-483
February 20 7a Work of Jesus CCC 456-460, 599, 601-624, 631-646,
651-655, 663-667
7b Review for Exam
February 27 8a Mid-term Exam
8b Paper Bring WMC.
March 5 SPRING BREAK NO CLASS
March 12 9a Holy Spirit CCC 683-693, 702, 727-747
DeV 1, 8-10, 22, 27-29
9b Grace & Justification CCC 1987-2029
March 19 10a Church: Essence LG 1-8
10b Laity LG 30-38
March 26 11a Church: Four Marks CCC 811-820, 823-835, 846-848,
857-870
PAPER DUE
11b Liturgy CCC 1066-1072, 1076-1093, 1110-
1112, 1136-1144
SC 5-14
April 2 12 Sacraments CCC 1113-1134, 1210-1216, 1234-
1245, 1285, 1293-1301, 1322-1332,
1406-1419, 1420-1433, 1406-1419,
1420-1433, 1499-1501, 1517-1523,
1533-1538, 1544-1547, 1590-1605,
1621-1624
April 9 13a Holiness CCC 2012-2016
13b Communion of Saints CCC 946-975
April 16 14a Last Things CCC 668-682, 988-1060
14b Review
April 23 15 Final Exam Prepare oral answers to questions

CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church RH = Redemptor Hominis

DeV = Dominum et Vivificantem SC = Sacrosanctum Concilium
DM = Dives in Misericordia WMC = What it Means to be a Christian
LG = Lumen Gentium

This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor, administration, or both.