THEO 2180 The Brothers Karamazov and Theology

We will study one of the most renowned novels ever written, Fyodor Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov (1880). Through this novel we will bring to light some of the big theological questions, such as: the nature of God; divine providence over human affairs; faith in the modern rational age; human and divine responsibility for goodness, evil, and suffering, the possibility of redemption in a world of sin and guilt; and the role of the passions in human behavior, especially the experience of shame. You will also gain an understanding of how one of history's literary masters structured his magnum opus, becoming more adept at discerning literary techniques that will make you a more sophisticated reader of literature explicitly exploring theological questions. This one-credit course belongs to the " Bring to Light" series of courses, which allow a deeper knowledge of one specific topic in theology in relaxed and collaborative ways. This course can be taken together with the theology core or after fulfilling the core.