MCTH 1088 God, Self, and Social Responsibility

This is a one semester, three-credit course that fulfills the university's Christian Theology core requirement. Upon completion of this course, Messina students who continue in a Boston College bachelors program in CSOM, CSON, MCAS, or LSEHD can complete their Boston College Theology Core requirements by enrolling in a Sacred Texts and Traditions (STT) course through the Theology Department.) The content and materials of the course include classical and contemporary theological texts consistent with introductory courses in western theology. As a course that educates students for social justice, this PULSE course adds the requirement of a significant commitment to community service during the course. Classroom and service are intended to complement each other in leading students to reflect upon the meaning of their lives and the society in which they live and to which, as human persons, they have responsibility. Through your service, you likely will encounter people, places, and situations that will cause you to question many assumptions which you may have taken for granted. The course readings focus on the writings of people who have been challenged by similar problems and questions, and whose insights can assist us in grappling with our questions and concerns regarding a life well lived, the nature of human happiness, and the relation between God, the individual, and society. Thus, the course seeks to foster a critical relation between reflection and action in order to bridge gaps between beliefs and actions. You will learn about theology. And you will also do theology.