Notre Dame's Curriculum Review, Part I | National Catholic Reporter

Notre Dame's Curriculum Review, Part I | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I was quite delighted to see my Alma Mater, Loras College, mentioned as an example of curriculum change - it was actually starting the process as I was graduating.  Of course, back then Theology was called Religious studies and that department was considered so liberal that more conservative students took extra Philosophy courses (which, by the way, are required for seminarians - theology is not).



I took the Intro course but did not go on to the Philosophy of Man - although I have written a bit about that subject.  Ethics was a feature for those of us who were pre-law, there being no pre-law ethics course available.  If the standard text is used, Fagothy's Right and Reason, interesting disucssions always commence.  The capstone lecture was about Oughtness, as in whether we owe it to God to follow His commands and in all other ways to worship him.  I did not get the answer on the final to the professors satisfaction and therefore got a B.  Of course, I would like get a C for where my philosophy on this subject has gone.  To wit, God has no need of our obedience and all moral law is about our happiness in this life.  Any other answer has a God with needs -and that is no God.  Social needs are part of what God wants for us, but it is for our hapiness - not Theirs - because God is Happiness itself.  Indeed, thinking we are necessary in our moralit for some cosmic reason is essentially the sin of Lucifer (who thought as a Seraphim that he was more important than the Christ).  Unless it is bloody scandal, the crucifixion likewise must be God feeling our pain - not taking our sins onto himself.  Like I said, a C (even though it true)



I did get credit for three theology courses - I tested out of them - thanks to a month reading the Bible and 13 years of Catholic School.  If I were not Hell bent for leather to graduate a year early, I might have taken some of the courses I tested out of.  Of course, none of them had any relation to the Magisterium and because Loras has had a history of rather progressive Chancellor/Ordinaries, none of the teachers have gotten caught - although given my views now, I would likely have agreed with the lefties - but I was not that emotionally mature then.  I no longer allow the Church to do its thinking for me.  I wish Notre Dame well, however I doubt any chages will be Earth shattering.  At most I expect a more specific set of courses than the standard 2 and 2.