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

Notre Dame's Curriculum Review, Part III | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The quote form Balthasar is interesting and I don't believe he is arguing absurdly that women and reproduction would end if the modern world won.  I think he believes the 80 hour technogist would simply not notice their absence.  On one level this may be true - however now most workplaces have women.  Also, as the modern technologist earns money, he tends to use it for all things family.  That has always been the case with men and now women who work too much.(See First Corinthians 13)  I do not believe theology is important one way or another to work life.  It may have an opinion, however, on what our technogist and his family do withe ther money.  St. Paul found that love being lost to other concerns, even in Christianity, was a problem back then.  The Communio magazine, started by Benedct, de Lubac and Balthasar have kept tht voice alive, with this ideiolog driving Benedict's Caritas et Vetitate letter.



Camosy and Murray argue bout both dualism and the ethics of eating meat.  There is plenty of room for discussion by Catholic thelogians - including discussion students would find meaty.  Especially in the midwest in states like Indiana and schools like Notre Dame.  The fallen nature of man is another thing to discuss (althugh doing so while remembering that Genesis was a myth, not history, seems to be a challenge some cannot face - especially in Rome.  MSW recommends his two theology courses - the first involving the work of noted theologians (not sure this is undergraduate material) and the question of authority and argument (or the Curia v. theologians).  Pretty sure that would not have been offerred at Loras in my day.   The second course would be specific to the various majors of the student.  That might prove intersting.



Of course, that begs the question of what to offer to theologians - I am sure Cultural Theory as some ideas. Elaine Paiges comes to mind, including and especially her work on The Abominations of Leviticus and on Revelation (which puts a stake in both Leviticus and the end times movement - in other words, the Conservative heart).  MSW challenges the doctral and tenure track pubishing focus in theology.  Political Science has similar problems whic stopped m decision as well - although working in Cultural Theory woud likely have nixedthe boredom - but this thought came to late to save my doctoral career - and the death of Aaron Wildavsky made going back an unsavory process.



The question arises about learning outcomes, whether professors are thre to teach or do research and I add how the curriculum serves the interests of the funders, whether they be a state government, the parents, the students or maybe even the employers who I say should pay the last two years of school.  I guess the question is whether this should be offered in state schools or just private ones - and whether its is for the first two years of basic trainingo r something that is part f the major course study (my questions, not MSW's - but they are key.)  Of course, studying the essence of the mind in theology is worthy, as St. Jon Newman suggests - so one wonders if this could be snuck into the lower grades for everyone.



How does this make Notre Dame more attractive to undergarduates?  In my day, Iowa had a 19 yer old drinking age (where Loras was - and was also an hour or so from home - a two or three hour hitchhike) - while Notre Dame in Indiana had a 21 year drinking age.  For undergraduates, that was important, as well as the driving distance from Cedar Rapids to South Bend - no hitching possible, unless Chicago was the destination.  The existence of a theology requirement was not on the list - unless one was a theology student. I worried more about what the political science and economics departments offered.  Faculty and some upper class students look at such things, not incoming frosh.



Sitting next to Newman on a train would be nice, especially to Cedar Rapids (I actually did one commute with my Accounting professor to get to my mom's birthday party - the same birthday I just celebrated - I would rather ride a train with her, actually - which leads to the theological question of life after death).  In the 80s, I would not hve dreamed of asking St. John about gay marriage.  Today, I would be all ears on that issue.  There are issues to desexualize Newman, but they did not comport with the truth, as his ashes and those of who was essentially his husband cannot be disentangled in order to rebury Newman without his love.  That question makes Thelogy and the Church interesting.