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: DP3014C

Unit status: Archived (Major revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Demonstrate a sound understanding of the role of inter-religious relations in a multi faith world, with particular reference to Australia;

2.

Explain and elaborate on Magisterial teaching on the value of inter-religious dialogue, with special reference to the Church's mission;

3.

Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist traditions;

4.

Outline the various issues in Christology, grace and salvation in the context of inter-religious dialogue;

5.

Apply the forms of inter-religious dialogue creatively to the work of peace and justice;

6.

Demonstrate a sound capacity for 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.
  • Giola, Francesco, ed. Interreligious Dialogue: The Official Teaching of the Catholic Church, (1963–1995). Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997.
  • 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

2500-word essay

2500 50.0
Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper

500-word tutorial paper

5000 10.0
Personal Reflection

500-word personal reflection

500 10.0
Written Examination

1-hour written examination

0 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 4 Sep, 2018

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