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Ideas for Science Courses for Pre-theology and College Programs Overview:

OfficialRomanCatholicChurchdocuments,especiallythosesincetheSecondVaticanCouncil,havepromulgatedapositivespiritofcooperationbetweenscienceandtheology.TheaggiornamentoofVCIIreinforcedtimeandagainthatweliveinaworlddominatedbyscienceandtechnologyandthat“recentstudiesandfindingsofscience,history,andphilosophyraisenewquestionswhichinfluencelifeanddemandnewtheologicalinvestigations”(GaudiumetSpes,62).[Wehavemanymoredocumentsforyoutoconsultonourwebsite,www.semscience.org,under“Documents”].

Therestisuptoyou.

Thefollowingareideasforpossiblecoursesforthepre-theologyandcollegeprograms,butyouneednotfeelconfinedtoadoptingoradaptinganyofthem.Infact,thereviewcommitteewelcomesyourcreativityindevelopingscientificallyrigorous,pastorallyapplicablecoursesthatengagethemindandspirit,thatinformandinspire,thatwillgenerateenthusiasmforconversationsaboutsciencethatdominatecurrentdiscourse,andthatprepareseminariansfordialogueontheintersectionbetweenscienceandtheology.

Learninggoals/objectivesapplicabletoallcourses:

1. Toensurethewidestpossiblerangeofcontactwithscienceconsideringthesubjectofthecourse.2. Toenablethosewhosuccessfullycompletethecoursetohaveasufficientknowledgeofthe

sciencecoveredinthecoursetoallowthemtounderstandthegeneralscientificconcepts,principlesandmethodsthatunderpinthematterofthecourse.

3. Torespondtothepastoralchallengesassociatedwiththefindingsofmodernscience.4. Toimprovestudents’understandingofthedynamiccharacterofscienceinconversationwith

theologicaleducation,andtoprovideteachersandstudentswithresourcestodiscussscienceandChristianfaith.

5. Toenablethesuccessfulstudenttounderstandthelegitimatetruthclaimsofthescienceinthecourseandtounderstandtheempiricallimitsofthosesametruthclaims.

6. Toenablethesuccessfulstudenttobecomealifelonglearnerofscientificinquiry.NB:PleasekeepinmindthattheJohnTempletonFoundationdoesnotsupportcoursesinbioethicsorthoseengagingissuessuchassustainability,environmentalethicsorcreationcare.

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1.GameChangers:ScientistsWhoAreBelievers

Rationale:

ThiscourseintroducesmajorChristianscientistswhoexplainwhytheybelieve.Thecoursehighlightspersonaltestimoniesbutwouldfocusprimarilyonthescientifictheoriesand/ordiscoverieseachpersonadvancedascentraltothecourse.Theemphasisofthecourse,therefore,wouldbescience,notbiography.

JustinL.Barrett(clinicalpsychologist)JocelynBell-Burnell(astronomer)NicholasCopernicus(mathematician,astronomer)AlexisCarrel(surgeon,biologist)SimonConway-Morris(paleontologist)GeorgeCoyne,S.J.(astronomer)FrancisCollins(physician-geneticist)MarieCurie(physician-chemist)CeliaDeane-Drummond(theologian-scientist)CarolDweck(psychologist)JohnEccles(neurophysiologist)PaulFarmer(epidemiologist)EnricoFermi(nuclearphysicist)GalileiGalileo(physicist,astronomer,mathematician,philosopher)MichaelHeller(cosmologist)CarolineHerschel(astronomer)ChrisIshram(theoreticalphysicist)StanleyJaki,O.S.B.(philosopherofscience)MaryLeakey(anthropologist)GeorgesLemaître(astronomer,physicist)GregorMendel,O.S.A.(geneticist)KennethR.Miller(cellbiologist)NanceyMurphy(psychologist)DavidMyers(socialpsychologist)ClydeNarramore(psychologist)LouisPasteur(chemistandmicrobiologist)JohnC.Polkinghorne(theoreticalphysicist)MatteoRicci,S.J.(mathematician,astronomer)PierreTeilharddeChardin,S.J.(paleontologist,geologist)EverettWorthington(clinicalpsychologist)SuggestedReadings:

Barbour,Ian.G.(2000).WhenScienceMeetsReligion:Enemies,Strangers,orPartners?NewYork:HarperOne.

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Barr,StephenM.(2006).ModernPhysicsandAncientFaith.NotreDame,IN:NotreDameUniversityPress.

Bell-Burnell,Jocelyn.(2013).AQuakerAstronomerReflects:CanaScientistAlsobeReligious?Poughkeepsie,NY:DigitalPublishingCenter,MaristCollege.

CatechismoftheCatholicChurch.(1997).Paragraphs1-3,26-49,50,279-323,374-421.http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm

Collins,Francis.(2007).TheLanguageofGod:AScientistPresentsEvidenceofBelief.NewYork:FreePress.

Consolmagno,S.J.Guy.(2008).God’sMechanics,HowScientistsandEngineersMakeSenseofReligion,Jossey-Boss,7-9,47-59,133-144.

Coyne,GeorgeV.(1999).“EvolutionandtheHumanPerson:ThePopeinDialogue,”inEvolutionaryandMolecularBiology:ScientificPerspectivesonDivineAction.(eds.R.J.Russell,W.R.Stoeger,andA.FranciscoJoséAyala).NotreDame,IN:NotreDameUniversityPress.

Galilei,Galileo.(2008).MauriceA.Finocchiaro(translator),TheEssentialGalileo.Cambridge,MA:HackettPublishingCo.

Giniger,KennethSeeman.(1998).SpiritualEvolution:ScientistsDiscussTheirBeliefs.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

Herschel,Caroline.(1896;2010edition).MemoirandCorrespondenceofCarolineHerschel.Cambridge,UK:CambridgeUniversityPress.

Moriarty,Glendon,L.(2010).IntegratingFaithandPsychology:TwelvePsychologistsTellTheirStories.DownersGrove,IL:InterVarsityPress.

Murphy,Nancey.(2010).TheologyintheAgeofScientificReasoning.Ithaca,NY:CornellUniversityPress,1993.

Numbers,RonaldL.(ed.)(2010).GalileoGoestoJail,andOtherMythsaboutScienceandReligion.Seeespecially,Myths1,2,3,5,6,9,10.Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress.

Polkinghorne,JohnC.(2012)ScienceandReligioninQuestofTruth.NewHaven,CT:YaleUniversityPress.

TeilharddeChardin,Pierre.(2008edition).ThePhenomenonofMan.NewYork,NY:HarperPerennial.

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2. FORGIVENESS: WHAT SCIENCE OFFERS THEOLOGY

Rationale:

Forgivenessformanyconjuresthecliché“ForgiveandForget”althoughpeoplewhohaveforgiventestifythattheydonotforget,sometimesever.Infact,forgiversrememberclearlytheinjuryinflictedandthememorydoesnotdisappear,evenwhentheyhavedealtwithitandhavemovedon.Whatforgivershavedoneisto“forgo,”andthereliesabigdifferencebetweenforgoingandforgetting.Withalltheirwitsaboutthem,forgiversforgothedebt,theyforgogettingeven,andinthatprocess,theemotionalreactiontothememoryofthehurt-anger,anxiety,revenge,resentment–lessens,andafreedomfromtheresidueoftheviolationdissipates.Thatfreedompromptsthequestion:Isthevaluetoforgivenessnotonlyspiritual?Coulditalsobemeasuredintermsofhealthierliving–physicallyandpsychologically?Scientistssayyes.Thus,scientificfindingsrelativetotheprocessofforgivenessseememinentlyappropriatetostudyforacourseonthenatureandbenefitsofforgiveness.

LearningGoals/Objectives:

1.Tounderstandthenatureofresentment,anxiety,revenge;theiroriginsandnegativeconsequencesinrelationships.2.TostudytheGospelsandLettersofPaulregardingforgiveness;itsgradualprocess.3.Tocorrelateatheologyofforgivenesswithitsscientificdimension.4.Toexplorethescientificbenefitsofforgiveness.5.Toconsiderwhethertherearenon-forgivableoffenses.6.Tounderstandscientificfindingsofinternalandexternalmanifestationsofnon-forgiveness,andcomplimentarily,thescientificfindingsofinternalmanifestationsofforgiveness.7.Toreviewtestimoniesofforgivenessinextraordinarycircumstancestoenableconversationbetweenreportedpositiveoutcomesbytheforgiversthemselvesandthefindingsofscientificresearch.

SuggestedReadingsBiographical:

Hillenbrand,Laura.(2010).Unbroken.NewYork:RandomHouse.

Kor,EvaMoses.ForgivingDr.Mengele.DVD,widelyavailable.

Kraybill,Donald,etal.,(2007).AmishGrace:HowForgivenessTranscendedTragedy.SanFrancisco,CA:Jossey-Bass.

Prejean,Helen.(1993).DeadManWalking.NewYork:Vintage.

Tutu,Desmond.(2000).NoFuturewithoutForgiveness.NewYork:ImageImprint,Doubleday.

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SuggestedReadingsScientific:

Berry,J.L.,Worthington,E.L.,Jr.,Parrot,I.,L.,O'Connor,L.E.,&Wade,N.G.(2001).“Dispositionalforgiveness:DevelopmentandconstructvalidityoftheTransgressionNarrativeTestofForgiveness”(TNTF).Personality&SocialPsychologyBulletin,27,1277-1290.Exline,J.J.&Baumeister,R.(2000).“Expressingforgivenessandrepentance:Benefitsandbarriers.”InM.E.McCullough,K.I.Pargament&C.E.Thoresen(eds.),Forgiveness:Theory,ResearchandPractice.NewYork:Guilford,133-155.Gulliford,LizandWatts,Fraser.(2004).ForgivenessinContext:TheologyandPsychologyinCreativeDialogue.Bloomsbury,UK:T&TClark.McCullough,M.E.,Worthington,E.L.,Jr.,&Rachal,K.C.(1997).“Interpersonalforgivingincloserelationships.”JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,(73)321-336.McCullough,M.E.,Rachal,K.C.,Sandage,S.J.,Worthington,E.L.,Brown,S.W.,&Hight,T.L.(1998).“Interpersonalforgivingincloserelationships:II.TheoreticalelaborationandMeasurement.”JournalofPersonality&SocialPsychology,(75)1586-1603.Rye,M.S.Pargament,K.I.,Ali,M.A.,Beck,G.L.,Dorff,E.N.,Hallisey,C.,etal.(2000).“Religiousperspectivesonforgiveness.”InM.E.McCullough,K.I.Pargament&C.E.Thoresen(eds.),Forgiveness:Theory,ResearchandPractice.NewYork:Guilford,17-40.Staub,E.&Pearlman,L.A.(2001).“Healing,reconciliation,andforgivingaftergenocideandothercollectiveviolence.”InR.G.Helmick&R.L.Petersen(eds.),Forgivenessandreconciliation:Religion,publicpolicy,andconflicttransformation.Philadelphia:Templeton,205-227.Witvliet,C.V.O.,Ludwig,T.E.,&VanderLaan,K.L.(2001).“Grantingforgivenessofharboringgrudges:Implicationsforemotion,physiology,andhealth.”PsychologicalScience,(12),117-123.

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3. The Neuroscience of Consciousness and Free Will

Rationale:

Theinterdisciplinaryfieldofneurosciencehasrecentlyinvestigatedissuesthathavehistoricallybeenthesubjectofphilosophicalinvestigation.Thiscourseallowsstudentstomakeclearconnectionsbetweenimportantphilosophicalandtheologicalissuesandthemodernneuroscience.

LearningGoals/Objectives:

1.Tonote,appreciateandarticulatethedifferencebetweenascientificandphilosophical investigation. 2.Toexaminethemajorphilosophicalandscientificviewsoffreewill. 3.Todebatetheproposedquantitativetestofconsciousnessthathasrecentlybeen proposed. 4.Toexaminetheconceptofconsciousnessfromthephilosophicalandscientific perspectives,andcomparethistotheexperiencesofcontemplativesandpractitionersof meditation.

SuggestedReadings:

Casali,AdenauerG.etal.(2013).“ATheoreticallyBasedIndexofConsciousnessIndependentSensoryProcessingandBehavior,”ScienceTranslationalMedicine,(5:198)

Dehaene,Stanislas.(2014).ConsciousnessandtheBrain:DecipheringHowtheBrainCodesOurThoughts.NewYork,N.Y.:VikingAdult(PenguinGroupUSALLC).

Fischer,JohnMartinandKane,Robert.(2007).FourViewsonFreeWill.Hoboken,NJ.:Wiley-Blackwell.

Jeeves,Malcolm,A.(1997).HumanNatureattheMillennium:ReflectionsontheIntegrationofPsychologyandChristianity.Ada,MI:BakerPublishers.

Lowe,E.J.(2000).AnIntroductiontothePhilosophyofMind.Cambridge,MA:CambridgeUniversityPress.

Mele,AlfredR.(2013).ADialogueonFreeWillandScience.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.

____________,(2014).Free:WhyScienceHasn’tDisprovedFreeWill.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.

Nahmias,Eddy.(2012).“ScienceChallengestoFreeWill.”InACompaniontothePhilosophyofActionbyTimothyO'Connor,ConstantineSandis.Hoboken,NJ:Wiley-Blackwell,345-356.

Thompson,EvanandBatchelor,Stephen.(2014).Waking,Dreaming,Being:SelfandConsciousnessinNeuroscience,Meditation,andPhilosophy.NewYork,N.Y.:ColumbiaUniversityPress.

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4. Genetics Rationale:Humankind’searlymanipulationofgeneticsinthedomesticationofplantsandanimalsprovidedthebasisforcivilization.Ourmoreinformedunderstandingofgeneticsisrapidlytransforminglifeinthe21stcentury,fromhealthcaretothefoodsweeattoourunderstandingofevolutionandbiodiversity.Duringthelastdecade,thecompleteDNAsequencesofhumansandalargenumberofotherorganismshavebeendetermined,yieldingnewinsightsintolifeonEarth.Ourabilitytoengineergeneshasalsoopenedupnewfieldsofbiotechnologyandgeneticmedicine.Thegoalofthiscoursewouldbetoprovidestudentswithabasicunderstandingofgeneticprinciplesandthemanywaysthatgeneticsaffectshumanhistoryandourdailylife.LearningGoals/Objectives: 1.TodemonstrateafundamentalunderstandingofDNA,chromosomes,genesandgenetic inheritance. 2.Toarticulateafundamentalunderstandingofthetheoryofevolution,naturalselection,and sociobiology.

3.Toexplainthepolitical,socialandscientificissuesthatcombinedtocreatethetheoryandpracticeofeugenicsinthe20thcentury.4.Toarticulatethehistoryoftheconflictbetweenthepseudo-scienceofeugenicsandCatholicanthropology.5.Toexploreanddescribethelegitimatecontributionstomodernmedicinefromincreasedknowledgeofthehumangenome.6.Todemonstrateafundamentalunderstandingofthehumangenome,geneticmarkers,geneticsequencinganditsimplicationsformedicaldiagnosisandcriminalforensics.

SuggestedReadings:

Alexander,DenisR.(2011).TheLanguageofGenetics.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.Benson,Richard.(1993).“TheUnwindingoftheDoubleHelix:TheEthicalandTheologicalImplicationsoftheHumanGenomeProjects.DoctoralDissertation,KatholiekeUniversiteitLeuven.Keller,EvelynFox.(2010).TheMirageofaSpacebetweenNatureandNurture.Durham,NC:DukeUniversityPress.Feero,W.GregoryMD,PhD;Guttmacher,AlanE.,MD;Collins,FrancisS.MD,PhD.(2008).“TheGenomeGetsPersonal—Almost,”JAMA.(299:11),1351-1352.Guttmacher,AlanE.,MD;Collins,FrancisS.MD,PhD.(2005).“RealizingthePromiseofGenomicsinBiomedicalResearch,”JAMA.(294:11),1399-1402.

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Moss,Lenny.(2008).“TheMeaningsoftheGeneandtheFutureofthePhenotype,”inGenomics,SocietyandPolicy,(4),38-54___________.(2003).WhatGenesCan'tDo.Cambridge,MA:MITPress.Patrick,Christian,etal.(2011).HumanGenetics:FromMoleculestoMedicine.Philadelphia:Lippincott.Strachan,T.(2003).HumanMolecularGenetics.3rded.NewYork,NY:GarlandScience.Tabery,James.(2014).BeyondVersus:TheStruggletoUnderstandtheInteractionofNatureandNurture.Cambridge,MA:MITPress.

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V. What Makes Us Human

Rationale:

Scientistshavestruggledforcenturiestopinpointthequalitiesthatseparatehumanbeingsfromthemillionsofotheranimalspeciesthathaveevolvedonthisplanet.Humanbeingshavealwaysfeltthatwearefundamentallydifferentfromotheranimals,yetdefiningexactlywhatseparatesusfromotheranimalshasprovensurprisinglydifficult.Thathasn’tstoppedphilosophers,theologians,anthropologists,biologists,psychologists,andprimateethnologistsfromtrying.Largebrains,tooluseandlanguagemayeachseemlikeattractiveanswers,buteachturnsouttobelessclear-cut.Maybethemostnotablethingabouthumanityisthatwekeeponaskingthequestionwitheachgenerationbuildingupontheunderstandingofthepreviousone,givingusacumulativeculturelikenoother.

Thiscoursewouldbuildontheologicalandphilosophicalfoundationsbutwouldfocusprimarilyonscientificadvances.

LearningGoals/Objectives:

1.Toidentifyandexplainthemajorobjectives,methodsandconceptsofanthropology,biology andorpsychologyonthesubjectofwhatmakesushuman. 2.TounderstandtheplaceofhumanswithintheOrderofPrimates,andourrelationshipto modernlivingprimates. c.Toplacethemajoreventsandtrendsinhominoidevolutionintheirchronologicaland geographicalcontexts. d.Todescribeseveraldifferenthypothesesofhumanevolution. e.Tounderstandhumanvariationandmakesusdifferent. f.Todescribethefundamentalelementsthatmakeushuman.

SuggestedReadings:

Barrett,JustinL.(2011).CognitiveScienceReligionandTheology:FromHumanMindstoDivineMinds.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

Calgano,JamesM.andFuentes,Agustín.(2012)“WhatMakesUsHuman?AnswersfromEvolutionaryAnthropology”inEvolutionaryAnthropology(21),182-194.Fuentes,Agustín.(2012).Race,Monogamy,andOtherLiesTheyToldYou:BustingMythsaboutHumanNature.BerkeleyCA&LosAngelesCA:UniversityofCaliforniaPress.Jaki,StanleyL.(1978).TheRoadofScienceandtheWaystoGod.Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress.

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Jeeves,Malcolm.(2006).HumanNature:ReflectionsontheIntegrationofPsychologyandChristianity.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.Miller,KennethR.(2009).OnlyaTheory:EvolutionandtheBattleforAmerica’sSoul.NewYork,NYPenguinPress.Myers,DavidE.&Jeeves,MalcolmA.(2002).PsychologyThroughtheEyesofFaith.NewYork:HarperOne.Post,StephenG.(2014).IsUltimateRealityUnlimitedLove?WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

Prinz,Jesse.(2014).BeyondHumanNature:HowCultureandExperienceShapetheHumanMind.NewYork,NY:W.W.Norton&Co.

Tattersall,Ian.“HowWeCametoBeHuman,”ScientificAmericanSpecialEdition16(2):56-63.InadditiontoTattersall,whoholdsthat“theacquisitionoflanguageandthecapacityforsymbolicartmaylieattheveryheartoftheextraordinarycognitiveabilitiesthatsetusapartfromtherestofcreation,”theentireSpecialEditionisworthwhile.___________.(2013).MastersofthePlanet:TheSearchforOurHumanOrigins.NewYork:NY:PalgraveMacmillan.Vanier,Jean.(2008).BecomingHuman.Mahwah,NJ:PaulistPress._________.(2008).FromBrokennesstoCommunity.Mahwah,NJ:PaulistPress.Wilson,DavidSloan.(2015).DoesAltruismExist?Culture,Genes,andtheWelfareofOthers.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

Worthington,EverettL.(2007).Humility:TheQuietVirtue.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

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6. From Stardust to Life: a Cosmic Journey

Rationale:

Giventhatthismightbetheonlysciencecourseaseminarianmaytakeduringhisformation,thiscourseallowsfordiscussionofsomekeyscientificconceptsacrosscosmology,physics,chemistryandbiology.Inparticular,itfocusesonissuesthatarethesourceofongoingtensionsbetweenscienceandreligioninpopularculturetoday.

Versionone: OrganizedChronologically–fromBigBangtocurrenttime

Versiontwo: OrganizedbyScale–Fromsmalltolarge

LearningGoals/Objectives:

1.Togainanintroductoryunderstandingofphysics,astronomy,chemistry,biologyandthenatureandpracticeofsciencewiththeabilitytocompareandcontrastthedomains.2.Tobeabletoexplainthestellarevolutionprocess(e.g.formationofelements).3.Tounderstandthedevelopmentofatomictheoryandkeydevelopmentmilestonesofearlyquantummechanics.4.Toexamineandbeabletoarticulatescientifictheoriesofearlyorganicmoleculeformation.5.ToinvestigateandunderstandthefundamentalsofcellularformationandthestructureandfunctionofDNA.6.Todescribethedifferencebetweenmicro-andmacro-evolution.7.Tounderstandtheprocessofexplorationforotherplanetsandgalaxies

SuggestedReadings:Chambers,JohnandMitton,Jacqueline.(2013).FromDusttoLife:TheOriginandEvolutionofOurSolarSystem.Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress.

Davies,Paul.(2014).TheCosmicBlueprint.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

Greene,Brian.(2005).TheFabricoftheCosmos:Space,Time,andtheTextureofReality.NewYork:RandomHouseLLC.

Tyson,NeildeGrasseandGoldsmith,Donald.(2014).Origins:FourteenBillionYearsofCosmicEvolution.NewYork:W.W.Norton&Company.

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7. Science and Theology: What is the Controversy?

Rationale:

Whileexaminingandexploringwhathaveoftenbeenstickyissuesforscienceandreligion,thiscourseprovidesaspecificfocusonthenatureandpracticeofscience,aswellastherolethatChristianityplayedinthelivesandworkofprominentscientists.

Learningobjectives:

1.Studentswillexplorethenatureandpracticeofscience. a.Studentswillbeabletoarticulate‘The’scientificmethodandexplore thequestion:Dowealwayshavetohaveahypothesis? b.Studentswillexaminethetraditionallinearscientificmethodin contrastwiththeactualpractice. 2.Studentswillbeabletoexplainthedifferencebetweenahypothesis,theoryandlaw andpostulate.

3.Studentswillexplorehypothesesoftheoriginsoftheuniverseandtheproposalofthebigbang.

4.StudentswillbeabletodiscussthescientificageoftheEarthfromtheevidence providedbyEarthsystemsscience. 5.Studentswillbeabletoexplainthedevelopmentofthetheoryofplatetectonicsand theroleofkeyfigures,suchasWegener. 6.Studentswillexaminetherevolutionaryproposalofheliocentrismandtheclashes thatthisleadto. 7.Studentswilldevelopanunderstandingofthedifferencebetweentheobservationof evolutionoforganismsandthetheoryofevolutionvianaturalselection. 8.Throughthesestudies,studentswillexaminetensionsexperiencedandaddressedby keyplayers(e.g.Lemaître,Darwin,Galileo,Copernicus…)intermsoftheirreligiousfaith andtheobservationstheymadeofthephysicalworld.

SuggestedReadings:

Dalrymple,G.Brent.(2004).AncientEarth,AncientSkies:TheAgeofEarthanditsCosmicSurroundings.Berkeley,CA:StanfordUniversityPress.

Dawkins,Richard.(2008).TheGodDelusion.NewYork,NY:MarinerBooks.

McGrath,AlisterandMcGrath,JoannaCollicutt.(2010).TheDawkinsDelusion?:AtheistFundamentalismandtheDenialoftheDivine.DownersGrove,IL:InterVarsityPress.

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Nagel,Thomas.(2012).WhytheMaterialistNeo-DarwinianConceptionofNatureIsAlmostCertainlyFalse.NewYork,NY:OxfordUniversityPress.

Olson,RichardG.(2006).ScienceandReligion,1450-1900:FromCopernicustoDarwin.Baltimore,MD:JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress.

Plantiga,Alvin.(2011).WheretheConflictReallyLies:Science,Religion,andNaturalism.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.

Polkinghorne,JohnC.(2006).ScienceandCreationtheSearchforUnderstanding.WestConshohockenPA:TempletonPress.

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8. Cultural Anthropology: the Human Dimension of Liturgy

Rationale:

ForRomanCatholics,LiturgyisaprivilegedplaceofencounterbetweenGodandhumanbeings.RatherthanatreatmentoftheDivineactionoftheLiturgy(throughwhichGodreachesouttohumanbeings),thiscoursewillexplorethehumandimensionoftheliturgy(throughwhichhumanbeingsrespondtoGod’sinitiativeinworship).Studentswilldevelopanunderstandingofhumanritualandhowitspatternrespondstoarchetypalsymbolsthatculturalanthropologyvaluesasameansofunderstandingthehumanconditionanditsquestfortheultimate.

LearningObjectives:

1.Toexamineavarietyoftheoriesregardingculturalanthropology. 2.Toarticulatetherelationshipbetweenritualandsocialbonds. 3.TorecognizethehumanelementsofthesevensacramentsoftheRomanCatholicChurch. 4.Toappreciatetheritualdimensionoftheliturgyanditsarchetypalsymbolicstructure. 5.Toexaminescientificevidenceconcerningthepositivebenefitsofworship.

SuggestedReadings:

CatechismoftheCatholicChurch,2ndedition,(1997).http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm Ball,J.(1987).“AnthropologyasaTheologicalTool:II.SymbolandEfficacyofRitual.”InHeythropJournal(28),405-417.

Bellah,Robert.(1994).ReligionandtheShapeofNationalCulture,”InAmerica(181)9-14.

Berger,Peter.(1967).ARumourofAngels.ModernSocietyandtheRediscoveryoftheSupernatural.London:PenguinBooks.

Douglas,Mary.(1982).NaturalSymbols.NewYork:Pantheon.

Holmes,Urban.(1977).“RitualandtheSocialDrama,”Worship(51):197-213.

---,“LiminalityandLiturgy,”Worship47(1973):386-397.

Irwin,K.(1990).LiturgicalTheology:APrimer.Collegeville,MN:TheLiturgicalPress.

Lawson,ThomasE.andMcCauley,RobertN.(1993).RethinkingReligion:ConnectingCognitionandCulture.Cambridge,MA:CambridgeUniversityPress.

McCauley,RobertN.andLawson,ThomasE.(2002).BringingRitualtoMind:PsychologicalFoundationsofCulturalForms.Cambridge,MA:CambridgeUniversityPress.

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McKnight,W.S.(2000).“RitualandtheCalltoService:HowtheEucharistPromotesthePracticeofSocialJustice.”InNewmanReview(2):79-96.

Turner,Victor.(1974).Dramas,FieldsandMetaphors:SymbolicActioninHumanSociety.Ithaca:CornellUniversityPress,1974.

---.(1976).“Ritual,TribalandCatholic.”InWorship(50):504-526.

---.(1969).TheRitualProcess:StructureandAnti-Structure.Ithaca:CornellUniversityPress.

Wason,PaulK.(2014).“TheNeolithiccosmosofÇatalhöyük.”InReligionintheEmergenceofCivilization:ÇatalhöyükasaCaseStudy.IanHodder(ed.),Cambridge,MA:CambridgeUniversityPress,268-299.

Watts,F.N.(2006).“Experiencingliturgy.”InLiturgy,21(3),3-9.

Whitehouse,Harvey.(2004).ModesofReligiosity.Lanham,MD:Rowman&Littlefield.

VanGennep,A.(1960).TheRitesofPassage.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress.

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9. The Rise of Pseudoscience

Rationale:

Thiscoursewouldexaminethenatureofscienceandexaminethewayinwhichsomehavetriedtoco-optscientificsoundinglanguageandideas,generallyreferredtoaspseudoscience.

LearningObjectives:

1.Studentswillexplorethenatureandpracticeofscience.a.Studentswillbeabletoarticulate‘The’scientificmethodandexplorethequestion:Dowealwayshavetohaveahypothesis?b.Studentswillexaminethetraditionallinearscientificmethodincontrastwiththeactualpractice.

2.Studentswillbeabletoexplainthedifferencebetweenahypothesis,theoryandlawandpostulate.

3.Studentswillexaminethedemarcationbetweenscience,religionandpseudoscience. 4.StudentswillinvestigateDarwin’stheoryofevolutionvianaturalselectionandthe proposalofintelligentdesign. 5.Studentswillexplorethepoliticsandmarketingofproducts/ideasusing pseudoscience.

SuggestedReadings:

Godfrey-Smith,Peter.(2003).TheoryandReality:AnIntroductiontothePhilosophyofScience.Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress.Goldacre,Ben.(2011).BadScience:Quacks,Hacks,andBigPharmaFlacks.Toronto,CA:RandomHouseEmblemEditions.Gordin,MichaelD.(2012).ThePseudoscienceWars:ImmanuelVelikovskyandtheBirthoftheModernFringe.Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress.

Okasha,Samir.(2002).PhilosophyofScience:AVeryShortIntroduction.NewYork:NY:OxfordUniversityPress.

Haught,John.(2008).GodandtheNewAtheism:ACriticalResponsetoDawkins,Harris,andHitchens.Philadelphia,PA:WestminsterJohnKnoxPress.

Shermer,Michael.“WhatisPseudoscience?”http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-pseudoscience/

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Shermer,MichaelandGould,StephenJay.(2002).WhyPeopleBelieveWeirdThings:Pseudoscience,Superstition,andOtherConfusionsofOurTime.NewYork:HoltPaperbacks.

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10. Positive Psychology and Spiritual Formation

Rationale:

Positivepsychologyisthescientificstudyofwhatmakeslifemostworthliving.Itisacallforpsychologicalscienceandpracticetoemphasizebalanceforwellness,toaccentanassetmodeloflivingandnotadeficitmodel,tobeasconcernedwithstrengthaswithweakness;asinterestedinbuildingthebestthingsinlifeasinrepairingtheworst;andasconcernedwithmakingthelivesofnormalpeoplefulfillingaswithhealingpathology.Becausethefieldhasgainedprominenceinthelastfewdecades,itsimpactonthespirituallifeofmenandwomen,anditsinfiltrationintotheparishsettingissignificantinitsfocustohelppeoplethrive.

LearningObjectives:

• ToprovideinformationaboutcontemporaryresearchinpositivepsychologyinconversationwithspiritualdevelopmentintheCatholictradition.

• Toassiststudentstodiscernbetweenpopularfadsandthetriedandtruedisciplinesthatconnectthespirituallifetoevidenceofscience.

• Toapplyconceptsofpositivepsychologyinpastoralwork.• Tocompareandcontrasttheoriesandapplicationsofpositivepsychologywithalternative

modelsofhealthandwellness;suchas,themedicalmodel,behavioralmodel,andsocio-culturalmodel.

SuggestedReadings:

Capps,Donald.(2008).TheDecadesofLife:AGuidetoHumanDevelopment.Philadelphia,PA:WestminsterJohnKnoxPress.

Collicutt,Joanna.(2015).ThePsychologyofChristianCharacterFormation.Norwich,UK:HymnsAncientandModern,Ltd.

Haybron,Daniel.(2013).Happiness:AVeryShortIntroduction.NewYork,NY:OxfordUniversityPress.

Lopez,ShaneJ.(Author),Snyder,C.R.(Author).(2009).OxfordHandbookofPositivePsychology(OxfordLibraryofPsychology).NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.McMinn,Mark.(2008).SinandGraceinChristianCounseling:AnIntegrativeParadigm.DownersGrove,IL:IVP.

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Nye,Rebecca,Savage,SaraandWatts,Fraser.(2001).PsychologyforChristianMinistry.Oxford,UK:Routledge.Roberts,RobertC.(2007).SpiritualEmotions:APsychologyofChristianVirtues.GrandRapids,MI:W.B.Eerdmans.Rolheiser,Ronald.(2014).SacredFire:AVisionforaDeeperHumanandChristianMaturity.NewYork:Image.Seligman,MartinE.P.andCsikszentmihalyi,Mihaly.(2004).AmericanPsychologist,Vol55(1),Jan2000,5-14._________________.AuthenticHappiness:UsingtheNewPositivePsychologytoRealizeYourPotentialforLastingFulfillment.AtriaBooks.MentalHealth,Religion&Culture9(3)specialissueon“positivepsychology,religionandspirituality”.http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cmhr20/9/3 Siegel,RonaldD.(Author).(2009).KathleenCahillAllison(Editor),HarvardMedicalSchoolPositivePsychology:Harnessingthepowerofhappiness,personalstrength,andmindfulness.Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress.Taylor,BarbaraBrown.(2014).LearningtoWalkintheDark. NewYork&SanFrancisco,CA:HarperOne.Tiberius,Valerie.(2014).MoralPsychology:AContemporaryIntroduction.Oxford,UK:Routledge.

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11. Mindset: A 21st Century Approach to Human Formation & Development Rationale:Socialscientistsbridgingfieldsofdevelopmentalpsychology,socialpsychology,andpersonalitypsychologyareinterestedindecadesofresearchonachievementandsuccess,thedifferencebetweenafixedmindsetinwhichpeoplebelievethattheirbasicqualities,liketheirintelligenceortalent,aresimplyfixedtraits,andagrowthmindsetthatfocusesondevelopingtheirmostbasicabilitiesthroughdedicationandhardwork.Agrowthmindsetholdsthatbrainsandtalentarejustthestartingpointandcreatealoveoflearningandaresiliencethatisessentialforproductivity,creativity,andwholeness.Theapplicabilityofmindsettothemoralandspiritualdevelopmentofchildrenisgainingtraction.Some(many?)childrenbelievetheyareinvariablygoodorbad;otherchildrenareledtothinktheycangetbetteratbeinggood.Socialscientistshavefoundthatpreschoolerswithagrowthmind-sethaveapositiveself-imageevenafterthey’vemessed-upandarelessjudgmentalaboutothers;theyarealsomorelikelythanchildrenwithfixedviewofgoodnesstotrytosetthingsrightandtolearnfromtheirmistakes.Fixed/Growthmindsettheoryalsohasresonancewithadultspiritualdevelopmentinpastoralpractice.

LearningObjectives:

• Tounderstandbasictheoryandresearchaboutfixedandgrowthmindsets.• Tocorrelatemindsetresearchwithhumandevelopmentandspiritualgrowthinthe

Catholictradition.• Toexplorecasestudiesinfixed/growthmindsetsandtheirapplicabilitytopastoral

work.

SuggestedReadings:

Dweck,Carol.(2007).Mindset:TheNewPsychologyofSuccess.NewYork:BallantineBooks.Gladwell,Malcolm.(2011).Outliers:TheStoryofSuccess.Boston:BackBayBooks.Goleman,Daniel.(2005).EmotionalIntelligence.NewYork:BantamBooks.Fowler,JamesW.StagesofFaith:ThePsychologyofHumanDevelopmentandtheQuestforMeaningHarperOne.

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Lerner,RichardM.,Roeser,RobertW.andPhelps,Erin.(2008).PositiveYouthDevelopmentandSpirituality:FromTheorytoResearch.WestConshohoken,PA:TempletonPress.Loder,JamesE.(1998).TheLogicoftheSpirit:HumanDevelopmentinTheologicalPerspective.SanFrancisco,CA:Jossey-Bass.

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Herearecourseofferingsfromotheruniversitiesthatmightbesourcesofinspirationforyou.

1a. Theories of the Universe: From Babylon to the Big Bang(FromColumbiaUniv.)

Rationale:

Thiscourseallowsfortheexaminationoftheuniversefromscientific,aswellasphilosophicalandhistoricalperspectives.Examiningthedevelopmentofourcurrentscientificunderstandingoverthepastcenturiesgivesawonderfulperspectiveonthenatureandpracticeofscience.

Learningobjectives:

Studentswillexamine: 1.Skyloreandobservationoftheskiesinancientcultures. 2.ThetwinrevolutionsoftheGreeks:PythagorasandPtolemy 3.Aristotle,Aquinas,andtheGreatChainofBeing. 4.The"scientificrevolution":theimpersonalanddeterministicworld-orderofNewton,Laplace,

andKelvin. 5.Theerosionandchallengeofthatworld-orderbymathematicsandexperimentinthe20th

century(relativity,quantumphysics,darkmatter,andtheexpandinguniverse). 6.Today’ssearchforanewgrandorderintheUniverse,whichcancope-ormaybenot-with

theseblowstoyesterday'scomfortablewisdom.SuggestedReadings:

Bennett,JeffreyO.,Donahue,MeganO.,Schneider,Nicholas.(2013).TheCosmicPerspective(7thEdition).Addison-Wesley.

Ferris,Timothy.(2003).ComingofAgeintheMilkyWay.SanFrancisco,CA:HarperPerennial.

1b. What is Life? From quarks to consciousness(FromHarvardUniversity)

Rationale:

Thiscourseviewslifethroughmultiplelenses,allowingstudentstogainanintroductoryunderstandingofawiderangeofsciencetopicsthatarekeytounderstandinglifeinourcomplexuniverse.

Learningoutcomes:

1.Studentswillexaminetheparadoxesintroducedbyquantummechanics,forexampletheroleofuncertaintyandprobabilityinexplainingthestabilityofmoleculessuchasDNA.2.Studentswillbeintroducedtothebasictenetsofthermodynamics.Inparticular,thenotionofincreasingdisorderintheuniverse,yetcomplexandorderedlivingsystemsremain.3.Studentswillbeabletoarticulatescientificinvestigationsofthediversity,interconnectednessandevolutionoflifeonEarth.

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SuggestedReadings:

Schrödinger,E.(2012).WhatisLife?.Cambridge,MA:CambridgeUniv.Press.Smith,J.Maynard,Szathmáry,E.(2000).TheOriginsofLife.NewYork,NY:OxfordUniv.Press.Pross,A.(2014).WhatisLife?HowChemistryBecomesBiology.NewYork,NY:OxfordUniv.Press.