Full course description
Syllabus
Difficult Problems in Contemporary Moral Theology
Sunday, June 2, 2024 - Saturday, July 13, 2024
Lead Instructor
Dr. Oana Gotia
Associate Professor of Moral Theology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Instructors
Rev. Peter Ryan, S.J.
Professor of Theology, Spiritual Director, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Rev. Timothy Laboe
Dean of Studies, Assistant Professor of Theology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Dr. Robert Fastiggi
Bishop Kevin M. Britt Chair of Dogmatic Theology and Christology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Teaching Assistant
Melissa Pordon
Course Description
In an increasingly secularized culture, the lines around many moral issues have grown blurry beyond recognition. The Church has always stood as a mother and teacher to help guide the faithful towards righteousness. Many Catholics, however, may simply know the “rules,” but have not necessarily been exposed to the thinking and beauty inspiring what the Church teaches.
We invite you to join the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary for this self-paced online course, as we explore a variety of Difficult Problems in Contemporary Moral Theology and provide insights to help you and your loved ones better understand how to navigate the pressing issues of our time.
This course is not intended to be academically strenuous but to provide a shallow-entry point for those who have busy lives and need flexibility. This course is designed for personal enrichment and does not count towards any academic credit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or for any certification in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Contact
For questions about course content contact the instructor/teaching assistants using the Inbox on the red menu bar on the left side of your online course page.
For technical support see the Tech Support guide in the Welcome module of the course.
Textbooks
Required Readings:
No required texts for this course
Schedule of Topics:
- Introductory Module: Available beginning May 8, 2024
- Module 1: Passion & Desires - Dr. Oana Gotia (June 2 - June 8)
- Module 2: Love & Sexuality - Dr. Oana Gotia (June 9 - June 15)
- Module 3: Life & Death - Rev. Peter Ryan, S.J. (June 16 - June 22)
- Module 4: Social Justice: Catholic Perspective - Rev. Timothy Laboe (June 23 - June 29)
- Module 5: The Church: Mother? Teacher? - Dr. Robert Fastiggi (June 30 - July 6)
- Module 6: God & Man: Grace for Our Actions - Dr. Oana Gotia (July 7 - July 13)
Weekly Activities:
The following learning activities are available to students each week. There are no specific requirements for participating in the course. However, those who complete all the videos and self-tests will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
- Weekly video lectures
- Weekly recommended readings and links to additional learning resources
- Weekly self-test to see what you’ve learned
- Open online discussion for participants to share with each other what they are learning and encourage each other
The time commitment is flexible for this course. There is one weekly video lecture (~20 min). Participants who are interested in completing all recommended readings and course tasks can expect to spend around 2-3 hours/week on the course. However, levels of participation and engagement are up to the discretion of the individual.
All Equip Courses Include These Features:
- A dedicated online learning support coordinator to offer prompt assistance
- 24/7 access to the digital learning environment
- Engagement as a community of connected learners who share a common faith
- Extended access to course content after the course end date
- Learning environment support provided by Canvas (our learning management platform)
- Technical assistance provided by Sacred Heart’s IT staff
- A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete the course learning activities
Technical Requirements: