Catholic Studies Minor

Janine Marie Idziak, Ph.D., Director

Catholic Studies explores Catholicism in its intellectual, historical, social, and cultural dimensions. Catholic studies is multifaceted and multidisciplinary, including not only theology but history, politics, social studies, philosophy, literature, the arts, and science. The Catholic Studies minor provides a broad introduction to the Catholic heritage which can enrich the Loras experience, no matter what major a student pursues.

Pursuing a minor in Catholic Studies is open to all interested students, and it is now required in the Breitbach Catholic Thinkers and Leaders program.

Requirements for Catholic Studies Minor

21 credit hours from an approved list of courses, including:

3 hour integrative course in Catholic Studies
6 hours in philosophy, religion and theology
3 hours in history and social science
3 hours in literature and the arts
6 hours of electives

Integrative Course

L.REL-391 The Catholic Heritage: An Introduction to Catholic Studies (3 hours)

COURSE OPTIONS

Area: Philosophy, Religion and Theology (6 hours)

L.CTL-277             Belief, Unbelief and the Good Life-AV
L.PHI-221              Medieval Philosophy
L.PHI-250              Human Identity in Community-AI
L.PHI-301              Foundational Ethics
L.PHI 318              Theory and Practice of Bioethics-AV (J-term)
L.PHI-333              Philosophy of God and Religion
L.PHI-376              Philosophy and the Rise of Christianity (J-term)
L.REL-113             Introduction to the Bible
L.REL-216             Catholic Church in Latin American (J-term)
L.REL 215 Eastern Christianity Then and Now
L.REL-231             The Church’s Social Teachings
L.REL-239             Jesus and the Gospels
L.REL-248             Seminar on the Letters of St. Paul
L.REL-261             Christ and Culture-AC
L.REL-270             Introduction to Christian Values-AV
L.REL-272             Christian Sexual Morality-AV
L.REL-318             Councils, Creeds and Culture-AC
L.REL-320             Sacraments-AI
L.REL-345             Issues in Christian Ethics-AV

Area: History and Social Science (3 hours)

L.ECO-254            God, Catholicism and Capitalism-AV
L.HIS-155              Introduction to Latin American History
L.HIS-226              Catholi-Schism: Contemporary Controversies in Catholicism-AI
L.HIS-227              The March for Life: American Catholics, Sexual Morality and Public Policy (J-term)
L.HIS-340              The Age of Kings and Conversions: Early Medieval Europe 476-1075
L.HIS-341              The Age of Love and Reason: Late Medieval Europe 1075-1530
L.HIS-342              Reformation-AI
L.HIS-343              Medieval Christianity
L.HIS-427              U.S. Catholicism
L.POL-321 War and Pacifism-AV
L.REL-260             Catholicism Encounters Modernity
L.SPA-376 The Way of St. James (study abroad)

Area: Literature and the Arts (3 hours)

L.CTL-274            All for One and One for All-AI
L.ENG-337            Medieval/Renaissance British Literature
L.REL-350            Bible and Literature
L.ENG-365            Chaucer
L.MUS-321 History of Sacred Music-AA
L.PHI-290              Christianity, Film and the Arts-AA
L.PHI-316              Ethics in Philosophy, Literature and Film-AV
L.REL-212             Roman Catholic Sacred Spaces (J-term)
L.REL-252             God’s Literature: Introduction to the New Testament-AA
L.REL-325             Roman Catholic Liturgical Music in Theology and Practice

Area: Electives (6 hours)

Any of the courses listed above

L.EDU-206            Qualities, Character and Distinctiveness of the Catholic School
L.GRS-220            Early Christian Writers
L.PHI-317              Ethics and the New Genetics-AV