Escatologia RA0503

General Objectives: To give a comprehensive overview of the subject from a biblical, historical, Catholic theological, and pastoral perspective.

Course Outlines: 1. The current state of the Catholic eschatology: exegetical data and theological problems. 2. A Christian vision of death: historical roots of the question, biblical thoughts, ethos of death, the particular judgment. 3. The immortality of the soul: biblical data, Church Magisterium, theological developments. 4. The return of Christ and the Last Judgment: signs of Christ’s return, the risen body, the Final Judgment: biblical data, Church’s teaching, and ecumenical stance. 5. Hell: biblical data, tradition, theological reflections, pastoral dimensions. 6. Purgatory: biblical foundations, catholic tradition, ecumenical stances, pastoral dimensions. 7. Heaven/ Paradise: bible, tradition, theological reflection, pastoral dimension.

Bibliography: Clark-Soles, Jaime. Death and the Afterlife in the New Testament. New York: T&T Clark, 2006; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Recentiores Episcoporum Synodi: Letter on Certain Questions Concerning Eschatology. Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1979; Hayes, Zachary. Visions of A Future: A Study of Christian Eschatology. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1992; International Theological Commission. Some Current Questions in Eschatology, Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1992; Kelley, Joseph. 101 Questions and Answers on the Fours Last Things. New York: Paulist Press, 2006; Kelly, Anthony. Eschatology and Hope. Maryknoll: Orbis, 2006; LaDue, William. The Trinity Guide to Eschatology. New York: Continuum Press, 2004; Martin, Regis. The Last Things, Death, Judgment, Hell, Heaven. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1998; Moltmann, Jurgen. The Coming of God. Christian Eschatology. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2004; Phan, Peter. Responses to 101 Questions on Death and Eternal Life. New York: Paulist Press, 1997; Pohle, Joseph. Eschatology, or the Catholic Doctrine of the Last Things: A Dogmatic Treatise. Adapted and Edited by Arthur Preuss. St. Louis: Herder Book, 1917; Pozo, Candido. Theology of the Beyond. New York: St. Pauls, 2009; Ratzinger, Joseph. Eschatology, Death and Eternal Life. Washington: CUAP, 2007; Schmaus, Michael. Dogma. Vol. 6, Justification and the Last Things. London: Sheed & Ward, 1977; Walls, Jerry, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008; Walls, Jerry. Heaven: The Logic of Eternal Joy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 200.

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students are expected to have acquired a good knowledge of the Christian everlasting hope in all its aspects; to be capable of a biblical and theological view of these truths in order to meditate upon them and propose them in academic, pastoral and liturgical contexts.