If you want to explore life's meaning; if you want to be challenged and inspired to change a world wounded by inequality, hatred, and ecological degradation; if you want to grow spiritually by drawing on the riches of the Christian tradition in open dialogue with others, come join us.
- Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro, Chair of the Department of Theology
Spring 2024 Course Highlights
- THEO 225: The Theology of Malcolm X: This course will explore the social, cultural, and political factors that helped influence Malcolm's life and theological outlook from his time in the Nation of Islam to his embrace of Sunni Islam. Additionally, the course will explore how Malcolm X and his call for Black pride and global human rights has influenced contemporary Black liberation theology and pop culture in the U.S. and beyond. Topics covered include Black feminism, Pan-Africanism, Black Internationalism, jazz, and hip hop.
- THEO 253: Psalms and Wisdom Literature: An exploration of the affective, cognitive, and subconscious dimensions of religious phenomena as expressed in the Psalms and biblical Wisdom literature: the Book of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The praise, lament, and thanksgiving in Psalms are central to both Christian and Jewish life and worship. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes span the spectrum of theological perspectives on living in harmony with a divinely ordered universe and challenging the very idea of such an order. The Book of Job asks the fundamental question of why righteous people suffer. Through dynamic engagement with these biblical texts, this course explores belief and faith, myth and symbol, the quest for meaning, and individual and social needs.
- THEO 289: Death of Jesus: The greatest detective story ever told? This course deals critically with the who, what, when, why and how of the death of Jesus of Nazareth.
- THEO 306: Liberation Issues & Theology: Origins and developments of the theology of the liberation movements of women, Latin Americans, blacks, and other marginalized groups.
Recent News
DR. MARTIN MADAR PRESENTED A PAPER AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
In March, 2023, Dr. Martin Madar presented a paper “How Pope Francis Has Rehabilitated the ‘Spirit of Vatican II’” at an international conference at St. Mark’s College (Vancouver, Canada) commemorating 10 years of Pope Francis’s pontificate.
DR. MARCUS MESCHER AND DR. ASHLEY THEURING MEASURE THE MORAL INJURY CAUSED BY CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
Dr. Ashley Theuring and Dr. Marcus Mescher were among four Xavier University faculty awarded a $40,000 grant from Fordham University to create a new instrument to measure the psychological, spiritual, moral, and social fallout caused by clergy sexual abuse and its concealment. They joined a network of scholars at Jesuit universities across the country to help better understand the root causes of this crisis, its effects, and how to bring about greater transparency, accountability, healing, and prevention. The grant was sponsored by Fordham's Taking Responsibility project. Xavier University's research project report on moral injury. It garnered national coverage from NCR and local coverage from the Enquirer.
DR. O'NEIL VAN HORN PRESENTS AT A CONFERENCE OF THE CENTER FOR PROCESS STUDIES FEBRUARY 2023
Dr. O’neil Van Horn is an invited presenter at the international “50th Anniversary Conference of the Center for Process Studies.” Part of “a new generation of process thinkers” invited by the organizers, Dr. Van Horn’s work will be featured in a panel on “New Materialism, Poststructuralism, and Process Philosophy.”
DR. MARTIN MADAR PRESENTING AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYNODALITY
Dr. Madar will be presenting a paper at an international conference on synodality in Slovakia on March 10, 2022. He is also a co-organizer of the conference. The conference will be live streamed on YouTube. All presentations in the afternoon will be translated into English simultaneously. The times on the program are in Central European Time (six hours ahead of EST). Feel free to join in.
DR. MARCUS MESCHER ON BUILDING THE "CULTURE OF ENCOUNTER"
In November 2021, Dr. Mescher contributed to a forum at Georgetown University, highlighting how Pope Francis' vision of encounter is shaped by his experience of Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises.
DR. WALKER GOLLAR REPORTS ON SLAVERY FOR THE XAVIER NEWSWIRE
Dr. Gollar was recently interviewed on Xavier's historical ties to slavery for the November 10, 2021 edition of the Newswire.