010026 SE Concepts of Systematic Theology (2022S)

This course introduces to the transformation of general systematic-theological concepts on the background of contemporary philosophy. Traditionally, theology draws inspiration from philosophy according to the principle philosophia ancilla theologiae. Recently, the philosophers of various schools and traditions exercised the return to religion. Who are the protagonists of this turn? What are their questions? And why theological topics find the way back to philosophical reasoning in our secular world? Even more interestingly, philosophers, re-read, rethink and re-interpret the fundamental theological concepts. What does it mean for theology and its traditional practice of fides quaerens intellectum? This course will explore these questions and will introduce students to the recent reasoning in systematic theology and philosophy. In particular, this course will constructive-critically juxtapose the theological concepts such as the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Creation with their philosophical counterparts of the embodiment, finitude, the world, etc. What will be the implications of this theological-philosophical dialogue? And in what ways can contemporary philosophy challenge and change our theology?

Course Goals:
The goals of this course are:
• To deepen knowledge of the contents and methods of systematic theology.
• To become familiar with the most current perspective on crucial concepts of systematic-theology
• To provide instruction in a critical reading of primary sources.
• To practice the task of interpreting and also thinking beyond studied theological texts.

Method:
The course will combine lectures with reading and interpreting primary texts in class.