M2 Concentration: Interreligious Studies

Credits: 60
Length: 1 year (can be spread over 2 calendar years)
Preparing for degree : Master of Arts in Theology
Entry requirements: MA1 in Religious Studies or MA1 in Theology (or equivalent)
Choose 4 courses and 1 research seminar from below - to be approved by the Director of Studies
Master 2 involves a thesis of 350 000 characters - (including spaces). Students will then complete an oral thesis defense in front of an academic jury.
Choose 4 courses from below and one research seminar, in accordance with the Director of Studies.
List of Courses
Jacques Dupuis' Theology of Religions
In order to have a better understanding of Dupuis’ viewpoints, the study will put side-by-side Dupuis’ ideas and those of pluralism, exclusivism and inclusivism. For this reason, the three approaches to the theology of religions will be briefly discussed. Likewise, the study also briefly presents the understanding of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) concerning the issues raised.
Gerald O'Collins' Understanding of Symbols, Experience and Divine Revelation
Considering that the divine revelation always takes place in the form of symbols and within human experience, I also study O’Collins’ understanding of symbols and experience, and their relationship with the divine revelation.
How can we access the reality of revelation when both symbols and experience are historically, socially,and religiously conditioned and limited? What is the role of symbols in both the communication of the divine revelation by God and its experience by human beings?
Ecumenical Hagiography
In the lives of the sains lifes " lives" the Christian vision of God, man, and the world which stand all out very clearly. Men can learn almost as much about the real meaning of Christianity from the legends of the saints produced within the tradition of the Church as from the authentic lives themselves. Through the reading and studying the lifes of the saints who arrived before us in the promised land, we came to know how God works in the daily lives of Christians and how faith can be lived not only in good times but especially during persecution and suffering. This helps us to appreciate more our faith and make us grow in loving our brothers as part of God's providence.
Ecumenical Biblical Hermeneutics
This course allows students to explore the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant understandings, interpretations and uses of Scripture. The course introduces students to several contextual and traditional practices of hermeneutics in biblical studies. They will learn to read the Bible from various perspectives by engaging in a series of exegetical exercises and developing an exegetical study of selected biblical texts. Participants will also have an opportunity to explore the use of the Bible in pastoral setting: namely, how various approaches and readings impact social and ethical life of believing communities.
Opposition to ecumenism
While the ecumenical movement can be regarded as something that has made great strides to bridge the divides that have existed between Christians, it is undeniable that this movement still meets great opposition from many Christians today. This opposition has come from those within the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions respectively, and each seem to have their own unique justifications for their unfavorable views of modern ecumenism.
Ecumenical Theology
As reasoned discourse about God ecumenical theology is focussing on God’s will for unity among Christians. In brief words we can even say: Ecumenical theology is theological reflection on the unity of the Church as it is willed by God. And as a way of reflection of the Christian faith on its own nature, ecumenical theology is dealing with the different theologies being in dialogue with one another in the ecumenical movement. Ecumenical theology tries to bring these different theologies into a dialogue.
Introduction to Catholic Tradition
This course gives a survey on the Catholic tradition by examining a series of documents like Lumen Gentium and other documents of Vatican II to show that the Catholic Church does not possess one rite only, but that she embraces all the ancient rites of Christendom and thus her unity consists not in a mechanical uniformity of all her parts, but on the contrary, in their variety, according in one principle and vivified by it. The readings of the documents enable to see the Church’s intent to move always in the direction of unity.
Introduction to Protestant Tradition
This course helps us to get in touch and explore with the this 16th century religious movement the originated in western Europe over against the prevailing Roman Catholicism. Conceived originally by its leaders in northern Europe and British Isles as a reform of Catholicism, it soon broke with the Catholic Church. This course explores and studies various documents like The Augsburg Confession, the Second Helvetic Confession, the Strassburg Liturgy to get an appreciation of of the reformed theological and liturgical trends.
Eastern Church history and cultural landmarks
This course will look at some issues of theological controversy between East and West (e.g. Filioque) and some areas of doctrine and practice traditionally distinctive of Eastern Christianity (e.g. theology of the icon), as well as areas of theology and church life that show especial vitality today. Through a variety of readings, including some patristic and liturgical texts, it will try to convey the connections between spiritual life and worship, theology, and the response of the Church to the world.
Hinduism
There are many different spiritual pathways that were born in the Indian sub-continent: Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, for example, and others that came to India such as Christian and Muslim. Hindu spirituality which represents the spiritual quest of the vast majority of the people of India is rooted in the relentless and uninterrupted search of the seers from the Indian sub-continent.
Christian-Muslim Dialogue and Secularization
The aim is to explore some aspects of Christian-Muslim dialogue in Britain, against the climate of rising secularization of European societies and the changing dynamics of institutional religious channels in this context. It will also touch upon questions of faith, belonging and belief, after an in-depth analysis of the challenges secularism represents for inter-faith dialogue given the contemporary popularity of militant atheism.