PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY FOR PASTORAL MINISTRY (PHED-3500)
(09/07/2021-12/17/2021)

This seminar focuses on aspects of our human condition that emerge in faith formation, spiritual direction, and religious education. It intends to offer anthropological tools to teachers, faith leaders, and educators. The course explores personhood, human nature, personal identity, conscience, truth, rationality, knowledge and freedom, relationality in friendship, family, and society, the role of culture, technology, science, and art within human life. The goal is to facilitate in future religious educators an understanding of human persons and our contemporary worldview. Methodologically, the course uses philosophical argumentation and theological approaches. While we will consider different traditions, the seminar draws significantly from the personalist and Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy. The readings will include recent encyclicals alongside philosophical literature. This is a hybrid course that comprises an online pre-recorded lecture and an in-class discussion. [Auditors With Faculty Permission]