Christology: Grace & Necessty

Catalog description

Taught by DSPT. Germane to this moment of history are many new Christologies that seek to reconcile the Gospel with a world marked by confusion and a desperate search for meaning. Arising from these new Christologies is one that is of particular relevance to this age of disjointed spiritual and human formation: a Christology that is rooted in Gospel encounters and finds exemplary expression in the lives of Francis de Sales and John Bosco, and is therefore appropriately described as "salesian." The first third of this course surveys the various Christologies, depictions, and images of Christ from the first century through present - touching upon Pauline letters, other first century sources, the monastic traditions of both the east and west, as well as scholastic and post-reformation perspectives. This sets the foundations for the second third of the course, where we delve into a particularly "salesian" Christology through the systematic survey of history and theology from Francis de sales to the twentieth century, touching upon Alphonsus Liguori, John Bosco, Monika Hellwig, and Hans Urs von Balthazar. The last third of the course explores the landscape of post-modernism through the eyes of Christ and his Church, and helps us appreciate the richness of a Christology expressed by a spirituality of accompaniment and Gospel encounter. This course is designed not only as a systematic study of Christology for the formation of the intellect, but also encourages application to pastoral endeavor.