The Borromeo Seminary theology curriculum affords the student the opportunity to explore the Roman Catholic tradition at a deeper level. The curriculum, following the guidelines of the Program for Priestly Formation, provides the student with an extensive foundation of knowledge that will prepare them for the study of theology at the graduate level.
Freshman Year: Global Overview of the Tenets of the Faith
Introduction to Religious Studies (TRS 101) provides a broad overview of some of the major tenets of the Catholic faith and its relationship to other world religions. Catholic Moral Theology (TRS 268) provides an introduction to some of the major moral issues and how they are address by moral theology.
Junior Year: Study of the Canon of Scripture
The junior year continues the theological training by engaging the student in an intensive study of the Canon of Scripture, which is a key component of the Faith. Introduction to the Old Testament (TRS 200) examines the historical and cultural environment of the Old Testament as well as its nature and composition. Introduction to the New Testament (TRS 205) examines the development and composition of the New Testament as part of the Catholic Canon of Scripture, as well as the historical, cultural, and religious environment out of which it arose. In addition, the course considers the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s statement on Biblical Interpretation in the Catholic Church, and exposes the student to an authentic Catholic exegesis rooted in the tradition of the Church as exemplified by contemporary Catholic Biblical scholarship.
Junior Year: The Ramifications of Our Catholic Faith
In the third year, the student also explores how the Catholic Faith is expressed in a variety of environments. One elective offered is Introduction to Franciscan Studies (TRS 328). This course studies the Franciscan movement from its birth in the life of St. Francis of Assisi to its modern-day manifestations. Through reflections upon the historical and spiritual aspects of the movement, the course will give the student an overall perspective of the Franciscan experience by identifying its unique and vital charism within the Church. In the spring, the student studies the social ramifications of the Faith in Christian Social Justice (TRS 368). Within the context of this course, an overview of some contemporary conceptions of justice with reference to social and economic issues is presented. This course provides a careful examination of the Papal Encyclical tradition and the contemporary efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to promote peace and justice in the world.
