Week 11

      At the moment I am about to finish REL 112 which is the Intro to Religious Studies and Theology course.  This course has really done an excellent job in broadening my horizons in regards to not only other religious denominations that exist in the Unites States, but also other religions that exist with us throughout the whole world.  One specific area that I can honestly say that I understand in a much better way is Catholic vs. Protestant theology and its similarities and differences.  In class we discussed theological epistemology in regards to both denominations.  I recently wrote a paper for my Medieval and Renaissance British Literature class where I discussed why some Protestant translations of the bible use the word “love” instead of “charity” because charity (used in the Catholic translations) can imply that works are needed to attain salvation, which is not a Protestant view.  To write this paper I derived much of my information from taking REL 112 and found it very helpful.  Through this in depth look at both denominations and the history of the Protestant Reformation, it is easier for me to understand why there was such a rift between Protestants and Catholics and that while it is definitely not as fierce, is still present in the world today.

          It was also very interesting for me to get a more detailed look at more eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.  To see how these religions so very much affect their culture is amazing to me.  In the text we use called Anatomy of the Sacred, by James Livingston, it talks about how Hinduism views social life as being very fragile and complex and that complexity is looked upon as a possibility for danger.  Within their social system there is a caste system made up of four classes of people.  Each of these classes have a specific function in society that they are expected to fulfill otherwise there will be disorder which can lead to social chaos. (298-299).  This was an eye opening experience for me in learning the way countries such as India function as a society.  Here in America we are encouraged to strive to be better than we are now, to move up in society and try to achieve a better “social status” than our parents.  In Hindu societies, they are supposed to fulfill their expected duties in their caste, attempting to move up in the caste system can be seen as chaos and is dangerous.  It was an interesting realization for me that not all social structures in the world are similar to the one we have in the United States.  This class has significantly broadened my horizons to many different religions and denominations and how it affects their culture.

          In response to the question “What could be changed in the course so that it could help you reach the objective even more effectively?” I first should state the objective.  The objective given for this course was “Majors should be able to use theology to interpret beliefs and practices-religious or more broadly cultural-within the contemporary world”.  To answer the question I feel that this class gave a very good overall look at the theology and religious practices of other religions, but I feel that I personally would have enjoyed a more in depth look at one or two other religions or denominations and to compare/contrast them to Catholicism.  But, I understand that for this course it was more about getting a broader view of the types of denominations and religions that our world has today.      

Week 6

Making the switch over to be a Religious Studies/Theology major was huge change for me; I was originally a biology and secondary education major.  I was not happy nor could I see myself doing anything in the biology field, so I started looking into other majors/career options and Religious Studies/Theology kept popping into my mind as an option, even though I had never considered it before.  So I decided to take a Religious Studies course during second semester at Loras and so I took the Jesus and the Gospels class to see what course work would be like in this major and absolutely loved it.  Then this past summer I taught in a Catholic summer catechetical program called Totus Tuus which just affirmed my decision to major in Religious Studies/Theology. 

          I would ultimately like to teach theology or work for the Church one day in some capacity.  I hope as a Religious Studies/Theology major to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of not only Catholic theology, but a thorough understanding of other denominations’ and religions’ theology.  I also hope to learn how to relate theology in an attainable and engaging way to other people.  The classes I am currently taking are doing a great job of helping me not only understand Catholic views and theology but also many other views as well.  One of the classes I am currently taking is Introduction to Religious Studies and Theology.  This class in particular has been great for examining other religions and denominations and also being able to compare and contrast them.  For example, we recently discussed the differences and similarities in how Thomas Aquinas and Martin Luther approach theological epistemology.  It was very interesting to look at both of their approaches from a more objective viewpoint in this class, instead of just the “Catholic” perspective from which I grew up with.  Another class that I am taking at the moment is called Wisdom of the Prophets.  In this class we look at the Prophetic books of the Old Testament.  One of the books we use to help supplement the readings to the Bible is written by a Jewish man called The Prophets, by Abraham Heschel.  This class is fantastic to have because it gives me an understanding of how Judaism interprets the Old Testament and helps me to see the similarities and differences between how they understand the prophetic books and how Catholicism understands them.  Then, in my Catholic Heritage course, I get a deeper knowledge and love for the beauty and Truth of the Catholic faith.  We have done things that have increased my knowledge of both the rich history and tradition of the faith.  We have read Saints’ reflections on the Eucharist and watched and experienced the beautiful tradition of a Tridentine Mass.  Overall, I am very excited about being a Religious Studies/Theology major.  I expect to continue to learn more about the Catholic faith as well as other faith traditions.  I also hope get opportunities to teach others about the faith and continually be affirmed in my decision to switch majors.