Contemporary Liberal Catholicism in the USA 4219-SB053

The social and the political structure in the west is shaped mainly by European culture and tradition, also in its religious dimension, but these religious traditions are going through a deep modification. This trannsformation is particularely present in the USA. The course will concentrate on Catholic thinking in the USA, and its dialog with different religions in the American society.
The life and works by Walter Ong offer an unique possibility to present the full scectrum of transformation of Catholic thought in Europe and in the USA, including the dialogue with modern western thought on the one side but also the impact of modernity on Catholicism on the other.

Type of course

elective courses

Prerequisites (description)

The purpose of the course is to present Liberal Catholicism in the USA as a multifacted phenomenon. In the twentieth century Liberal Catholicism went through a radical changes, it happened, mainly, in the USA, thanks to thinkers such as: W. Ong, R. Haight, E. Schuessler Fiorenza, M. Daly, P. Knitter. It seems that the impact of W. Ong is particularly important and not only for Liberal Catholicism but also for other religions.

Course coordinators

Stanisław Obirek

Learning outcomes

Student - has in-depth and detailed knowledge (including terminology, theory and methodology) of modern philosophy in general and in Catholic thinking and Catholic theology in particular; can search for, analyze, evaluate and use information from different sources of Catholic tradition and be open to different cultural heritage.
a) knowledge
Upon completing this course a student has an introductory theoretical knowledge of the problem of contemporary liberal Catholicism, knows basic terminology connected with the history of Catholicism, has an in-depth knowledge of the place and meaning of different schools and methods connected with the study of Catholicism, knows advanced methods and research tools used to describe this phenomenon, recognized the dynamics and consequences of changes in understanding of the past, understands the phenomenon of structuring the Catholicism, knows the history of Catholicism in America understands the role of the national history in American culture, recognized the dynamics and consequences of changes in understanding of the past and is aware of the comprehensive nature of the Catholicism not only in America but also in the world.
b) skills
Upon completing this course a student is able to research and analyze different theories, has advanced interdisciplinary analysis skills and is able to use those skills to prepare an academic article or presentation, identifies and recognizes relations between different theories and political choices, formulates research hypotheses and evidences them basing on knowledge, formulates his or her own judgments concerning Catholicism and the way how it is understood in the United States, critically analyzes and interprets various proposition concerning Catholicism, formulates critical arguments on topics related to the way how the Catholicism is understood, has an ability to prepare a debate concerning the history and the way how it is interpreted employing theoretical skills

c) social competences
Upon completing this course a student is able to cooperate and work in a group, performing and preparing the debate, is able to properly plan and undertake research, understand the importance of solid research for a citizen of a democratic country, understands and appreciates the role of collaboration for successful participation in the life in the Unites States, understands the importance of social activity and critical in the USA, demonstrates respect for different opinions and understanding of democratic debate and actively participates in it, understands the need for continuous learning in the area of history und culture, completes and improves his or her knowledge of contemporary life and social development.

Assessment criteria

Active participation in class, final presentation or final essay of 6-8 pages

Bibliography

Allen J., Jr., The Future Church. How Ten Trends are Revolutionazing the Catholic Church, 2009.
Boys M., Has God Only One Blessing?, 2000.
Cogley J. (ed.), Religion In America, 1958.
Curran Ch. , Loyal Dissent: Memoirs of a Catholic Theologian, 2006.
Daly M., The Church and the Second Sex with the feminist Postchristian Introduction and New Archaic Afterwords by the Author, 2002.
Dupuis J., Christianity and Religions. From Confrontation to Dialogue, 2001.
Haight R., Jesu Symbol of God, New York 1999.
Haught J., God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, 2000.
Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, 2002.
Johnson E., Ask the Beats: Darwin and the God of Love, 2014.
Knitter P., Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian, 2009.
O’Malley J., What Happened at Vatican II, 2008.
Ong W., An Ong Reader. Challenges for Further Inquiry, 2002.
Ong W., “Were Are We Now? Some Elemental Cosmological Considerations”,
Phan P. C., Multiple Religious Belonging, 2004.
Schuessler Fiorenza, Bread Not Stone: The Challenge of Feminist Biblical Interpretation, 1985.
Seeing Judaism Anew. Christianity’s Sacred Obligation, ed. Mary C. Boys, 2005.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 4219-SB053 in USOSweb