DESCRIPTION: This course is an examination of a group of related issues in the philosophy of religion, including the rationality of Christian belief, the nature of the human person, and the relationship of Christian ethics to science and philosophical ethics in contemporary life, focusing on the Latino/a context.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The issues dealt with in the course touch on significant points of concern for church members and some significant barriers to faith for those outside, considering the faith; this will be an opportunity for students to begin to prepare to address these issues for Hispanic life and ministry.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Knowledge: to introduce students to some of the major intellectual problems facing Christian believers and to some of the strategies that have been used to address them. Skills: to improve students' skills in reasoning about their faith and in academic writing. Attitudes: to promote confidence in the student's own abilities to address intellectual problems as well as sympathetic appreciation for scholars who have struggled with difficult issues and have arrived at conclusions different from those of the student.

COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet twice a week for two-hour sessions for lecture and discussion over readings and films.

REQUIRED READING (Selections from the following):

Cavanaugh, William T. El Mito de la Violencia Religiosa. Editorial Nuevo Inicio, 2010. ISBN: 788493748814. Pub.price: 26.00 euros. Approximately 250 pages.

Jeeves, Malcom, and Brown, Warren S. Neurociencia, psicología y religión. Editorial Verbo Divino, 2010. ISBN: 9788499450032. Pub. price: 16.68 euros. Approximately 150 pages.

MacIntyre, Alasdair. Animales racionales y dependientes: Por qué los seres humanos necesitamos las virtudes. Ediciones Paidós, 2001. ISBN: 9788449311031. Pub. Price: 15.00 euros. Approximately 150 pages.

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Una historia de la filosofía desde la idea de Dios. Segunda edición. Ediciones Sígueme, 2002. ISBN: 9788430114061. Pub. Price: 22.00 euros. Approximately 200 pages.

Shuman, Joel James. El cuerpo de la compasión: Ética, medicina e iglesia. Editorial Nuevo Inicio, 2007. ISBN: 9788493476083. Pub. Price: 22.00 euros. Approximately 250 pages.

Course Reader. Approximately 100 pages.

Brugger, Walter. Diccionario de Filosofía. Barcelona: Editorial Herder.

Coreth, E., P. Ehlen, and P. Haeffner. La Filosofía del Siglo XX. Barcelona: Editorial Herder.

Hirschberger, Johannes. Historia de la Filosofía (History of Philosophy). Vols. 1-2. Barcelona: Editorial Herder.

MacIntyre, Alasdair. Tras la virtud. Editorial Crítica, 2001.

Murphy, Nancey. Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge University, 2006.

_________. Reasoning and Rhetoric in Religion. Wipf & Stock, 2001.

1. Four 200-word assignments in preparation for class discussions, summarizing assigned material and relating to ministry context (5% each)

2. Ten-page paper on topic covered in the first half of the course (30%)

3. Ten-page paper on topic covered in the second half or other theme from the course (30%)

4. Class Participation (20%)