Teologia fondamentale RA0301

The course focuses on the process and the movement from Theodicy to Theology; from a Catechetical to a Scientific level, getting acquainted with the basic vocabulary and tools of the “sacra scientia.”

Introduction to Theology: From Biblical revelation, to Christian experience (believing, celebrating, living), to theology – The sources of theology – Subject and formal object – Relations between faith and reason – An ecclesial vocation: theologians and the Magisterium – Theology as science – Methods in theology. Learning Outcomes: • The students will be able to move from Theodicy to Theology; from an ecclesial experience and catechetical doctrine to a scientific reflection. • They will become acquainted with both the basic tools of the “sacra scientia” and the specific procedures of theological method. Foundations of Catholic Theology: Part One: Historical-positive documentation: 1. The Biblical evidence: history, contents and institutions of the divine revelation in the Old and New Testament. Man’s response: faith in the Old and New Testament. 2. The Patristic period: Eastern and Western Fathers of the Church on revelation and faith. 3. The Scholastic period: Bonaventure, Thomas, Duns Scotus. 4. Doctrines of the Catholic Magisterium in context: Humanism, Protestant Reformation and Council of Trent; Rationalism, Fideism and Vatican I; the crisis of Modernism; from Vatican II to Benedict XVI. Part Two: Systematic: 1. From Apologetics to Foundational Theology: “to give reason of the Christian Hope”. 1. Predestination of all human creatures in Christ: being, knowing, acting. 2. Objectivity of the Christian Way: a critical examination of the NT sources: Jesus of history and Christ of faith. 3. Credibility and coherence of the Christian message: Jesus as Mystery, Word, Sign. Learning Outcomes: • The students will be equipped with a foundational Christology and Ecclesiology. • They will become competent to critically present the reasons of our Christian faith-life, both from the objective/historical point of view and vis-a-vis today’s subjective/rational challenges of credibility/practicability.

Introduction to Theology: Professor’s notes Bibliography: Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian. Vatican City: Lev, 1990. Dulles, Avery. The Craft of Theology: From Symbol to System. New York: Crossroads, 1995. Fisher, Katleen and Thomas Hart. Christian Foundation: An Introduction to Faith in Our Time. Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1995. John-Paul II. Fides et Ratio. Vatican City: Lev, 1998. Latourelle, René. Theology, Science of Salvation. New York: St Paul, 1969. Lennan, Richard. Introduction to Catholic Theology. New York: Paulist Press, 1998. Lonergan, Bernard. Method in Theology. Toronto: Utp, 1990. Louth, Andrew, Discerning the Mystery. An Essay on the Nature of Theology. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990. McGrath, Alister. The Science of God: An Introduction to Scientific Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 32004. Migliore, Daniel. Faith seeking understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004. Nichols, Aidan. The Shape of Catholic Theology. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2000. O’Collins, Gerald and Daniel Kendall, Edited by. The Bible for Theology: Ten Principles for the Theological use of Scripture. New York: Paulist Press, 1997. Ratzinger, Joseph. The Nature and Mission of Theology. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1995. Sokolowski, Robert. The God of Faith and Reason: Foundation of Christian Theology. Washington: Cua, 1995. Sullivan, Francis. Creative Fidelity: Weighing and Interpreting Documents of the Magisterium. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan, 1996. ______. Magisterium: Teaching Authority in the Catholic Church. Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2002. Foundations of Catholic Theology: Professor’s notes Bibliography: Benedict XVI. Spe salvi. Vatican City: Lev, 2007. Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Dominus Iesus, Vatican City: Lev, 2000. Davis, Stephen T. Christian Philosophical Theology. Oxford: Oup, 2006. Dawes, Gregory W. The Historical Jesus Question. The Challenge of History to Religious Authority. Louisville, London, Leiden: Westminster J. Knox Press, 2001. Denzinger, Heinrich and Peter Hünermann. Enchiridion Symbolorum. A Compendium of Creed, Definitions and Declarations of the Catholic Church [Latin & English text]. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012. Dulles, Avery. The Assurance of Things Hoped For. Oxford: Oup, 1996. ______. A History of Apologetics. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 32005. Flannery, Austin. The Basic 16 Documents of Vatican Council II. New York: St Paul, 1980. Kittel, Gerhard, Gerhard Friedrich and Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Edited by. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in one volume. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006. Macquarrie, John. Principles of Christian Theology. London: Scm, new impr., 2003. McGrath, Alister E. Christian Theology. An Introduction. Oxford: Oup, 2001. McInerny, Ralph.Praeambula Fidei. Thomism and the God of the Philosophers. Washington: Cua, 2007. Nodet, Etienne and Justin Taylor. Essai sur les origines du Christianisme. Une secte éclatée. Paris Cerf 1998; Eng. The origins of Christianity. An Exploration. Collegeville: M.Glazier Liturgical Press, 1998. O’Collins, Gerald, Rethinking Fundamental Theology. Oxford: Oup, 2011. Penna, Romano. L’ambiente storico-culturale delle origini cristiane. Una documentazione ragionata. Bologna: Dehoniane, 2012. _____. La fede cristiana alle sue origini. Cinisello: San Paolo, 2013. _____. Gesù di Nazaret nelle culture del suo tempo. Bologna: Dehoniane, 2013. Rahner, Karl. Foundations of Christian Faith: an Introduction to the idea of Christianity. New York: Seabury Press, 1978. Ratzinger, Joseph. Principles of Catholic Theology, Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 21989. Theissen, Gerd and Annette Merz. The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide. Philadelphia: Augsburg Fortress Pub., 1998. ______. and Dagmar Winter. The Quest for the Plausible Jesus: the Question of Criteria. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002. Wright, Nicholas T. Christian Origins and the question of God, vol. 1: The New Testament and the people of God. London: Spck, 21999.