Christian Faith and World Religions: Inter-religious Dialogue (CT9014C)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

Australia has undergone far-reaching changes, becoming a multi-cultural and multi-faith society. That is the context in which the Catholic Church in Australia seeks to give witness to the person and message of Jesus Christ. This unit studies the magisterial documents which show the advantages and challenges of this new situation. The unit will also provide an introduction to the major world religions in order to contextualise the discussion. Within this inter-religious context, the unit considers a number of crucial theological themes such as Christology, grace and salvation. It also introduces students to models of inter-religious dialogue. Finally, it explores ways in which the Church can be an instrument of peace and harmonious development.

Unit code: CT9014C

Unit status: Archived (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Systematic Theology

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Describe the complexity of inter-religious relations in a multi-faith world, with reference to Australia
2.

Show a detailed knowledge of Magisterial teaching on the value of inter-religious dialogue, with special reference to the Church’s mission;
3.

Outline and critique the essentials of the Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist traditions as well as some aspects of the religions of Indigenous Australians;
4.

Describe and critique the far-reaching significance of the doctrines of Christology, grace and salvation in the complexity of inter-religious dialogue;
5.

Apply through actual personal engagement, the forms of inter-religious dialogue to the work of peace and justice;
6.

Demonstrate a graduate level in generic critical thinking and reasoning skills, as well as scholarly presentation of written material

Pedagogy

Lectures help the students appreciate the many aspects of the complex subject and develop their ability to reflect and critique, while the practicum provides them with “real-life” experiences where they can develop their appreciation of the work of interreligious justice and peace

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bouma, Gary, Rodney Ling, and Douglas Pratt. Religious Diversity in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. National Case Studies. Berlin: Springer, 2014.
  • Clooney, Francis X. Comparative Theology: Deep Learning Across Religious Borders. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
  • Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Declaration "Dominus Iesus" on the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church. 2000.
  • Dupuis, Jacques. Christianity and the Religions. From Confrontation to Dialogue. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2002.
  • Engebretson, Kath. In Your Shoes. Inter-faith Education for Australian Schools and Universities. Ballan: Connor Court Publishing, 2009.
  • Goosen, Gideon. Hyphenated Christians. Towards a Better Understanding of Dual Religious Belonging. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2011. (EBook available.)
  • Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Dialogue and Proclamation: Reflections and Orientations on Interreligious Dialogue and the Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1991.
  • Shermans, Louise, and Christobel Mattingley, eds. Our Mob, God’s Story. Sydney: Bible Society Australia, 2017.
  • Vatican Council II. Nostra Aetate. Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions. 28 October 1965. In Vatican II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, edited by A. Flannery. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1980.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

4000-word essay

 4000 50.0
Essay

1500-word essay

 1500 25.0
Project Report or Project Journal

1500-word project journal

 1500 25.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 20 Jul, 2018

Unit record last updated: 2021-06-07 08:43:51 +1000