Theological Aesthetics Cross & Race

Catalog description

Taught by JST, This course begins with an analysis of Hans Urs von Balthasar's "cruciform" theological aesthetics as exemplified in sections of his Glory of the Lord series, after which students will proceed to a reading of James Cone's cruciform aesthetics in the context of US race relations in The Cross and the Lynching Tree and other selections. The reading materials will be accompanied by the professor's lectures and student-led class discussions. The final part of the course consists in a theological-aesthetical reading of theologies of reconciliation in a South African post-apartheid context and students' seminar presentations on cruciform racial reconciliation in historical or contemporary contexts of their choice. Students will be evaluated on their presentations, some reflective writing, and a final paper of 20-25 pages, which can be either a thought paper or a research paper. For this advanced course, background coursework in any or all of the following areas will be presumed: fundamental theology, theological anthropology, Christology, and Trinitarian theology. The intended audience is students in the MDiv, MA/MTS, STL, or doctoral programs of their various institutions. [30 max enrollment]