Introduction to Theology (TH 201)
Introduction to Theology is centered on the historical development of Christian Theology. The class is divided into three sections. During the first part of the semester, students will study selections from the Bible. The second part of the course turns to the Christian tradition, as it was developed through the work of Western Europe theologians. Finally, the course looks at contemporary Christianity in the American context. To increase knowledge of global trends in contemporary theology, students’ final projects will be research papers and presentations on modern contextual theologies.
Faculty biography
Dr. Nicole Reibe is a historical theologian whose work focuses on twelve century France and fifteenth century Spain. She is particularly interested in the recovery of forgotten figures in church history. In her class, Dr. Reibe prioritizes student discussion and discovery over lectures and rote memorization of names, dates, and terms.
Effective Writing (WR100)
WR 100 will introduce you to the discipline of writing in the university through analytical and productive work with the contemporary essay and its various genres. You will learn how to conceive and pursue a line of inquiry about a subject, how to develop an original argument, and how to support an argument with various sources of evidence, including scholarly research. You will develop and practice a full writing process, including planning, drafting, considering critical feedback, revising, reflecting, and editing. And you will hone your critical reading skills to evaluate and engage with other people's arguments. To help you achieve these goals, we will critically examine and respond to texts, in a range of genres, written by authors in the real world for real audiences. We will also do a lot of writing -- consciously and reflectively employing the concepts and strategies we learn about inside and outside of class. All of the work we do in this class is grounded in rhetoric: the effective use of language, always sensitive to context, especially one's audience. The various skills you learn and practice in this course will enable you to become a more thoughtful, reflective, critical thinker who can participate in intellectual and world-shaping conversations inside and outside the academy. From the point of view of the Good Life, this course will share a text: Nudge by Thaler and Sunstein. Through this book,the class will examine the evidence that most human beings don't make decisions in the way often characterized by the academic world. The book also offers a wealth of opportunities to make students aware of how to make better choices, both for themselves and for society.
Faculty biography
Dr. Dominic Micer is a Lecturer in the Writing Department, where he has taught writing since 2012. Dr. Micer is very interested in exploring the role writing plays in the use of positive emotion (empathy, awe, etc.) in constraining and enabling pro-social cognitive behavior.
Mentor biography
Tonya Lewis is the Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Education. Tonya joined Loyola in 2008 as the Program Coordinator for the Jack Kent Cooke Funded College Advising program. Prior to working at Loyola, she served as a high school College Counselor, assisting high school seniors with preparation for post-secondary opportunities. She is a naive Washingtonian and received her B.S. and M.S. degree from University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. Tonya is in her fourth year as a Messina mentor and loves working with students as they transition to college life!
Virtual Advisor
Both courses in this pairing satisfy core requirements (Theology and Writing) for all students.