Summer 2006/Pasadena
LG567
Albritton

LG567: THEOLOGICAL LATIN. Joel Albritton.


DESCRIPTION: This course will introduce the student to the Latin language as it was used by the major Christian authors from Late Antiquity through the Middle Ages. Due to its intensive nature, this course will demand a more substantial time investment than students ordinarily anticipate for a four-unit course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete this course can expect to have

  1. navigated, with the limited aid of a dictionary, passages from Christian theological, historical, and philosophical texts;

  2. developed strategies to identify quickly the lexical form of any word they encounter in a text;

  3. employed their individual learning styles as they assimilate large amounts of new information;

  4. gained a more immediate understanding of theological terminology and a deeper appreciation for the English language's indebtedness to Latin; and

  5. most importantly, become active readers of Latin, not merely mechanical memorizers of innumerable grammar paradigms.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: A basic knowledge of Latin is essential for the advanced student of church history and Christian theology. Leaders in the church today significantly enhance their role as servant-scholars through a solid facility with the language that is linked inextricably with the idiom of our faith.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet twice a week for two-hour sessions. At least eight hours of study outside of class per week are typically required for adequate class preparation.

REQUIRED READING:
Collins, John F. A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1985.

Prior, Richard E., and Joseph Wohlberg. 501 Latin Verbs. Barrons Educational Series, Inc., 1995.

Simpson, Donald P., ed. Cassell's Latin Dictionary: Latin-English, English-Latin. New York: Macmillan, 1977.

Course Reader.
Students are encouraged to become familiar with the specialized dictionaries and grammatical works available in McAlister Library.

ASSIGNMENTS:

PREREQUISITES: None. Audits permitted only with transcript evidence of prior study.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.