AIMS     THEOLOGY The Theology Department exists to enable all students to deepen their understanding of the Christian revelation and heritage from the standpoint of the Catholic faith. As an academic discipline, theology challenges the mind to explore the many dimensions of Christianity. Theology also contributes to more fruitful and effective prayer, ministry, and proclamation of the Gospel. An increasing number of employment opportunities and volunteer service needs exist in the Church today, especially for qualified lay men and women. The BA in Theology will prepare individuals for competent and life-giving service to God's people in these roles or for further studies. Some individuals major in Theology (often as a second major) simply to grow in an understanding of their faith and in personal holiness. A sound formation in Christian theology is valuable in itself and an excellent preparation for almost any type of ministry or service in the Church. To provide a balanced formation, all Theology majors take six core courses and an additional five courses selected from a broad range of electives in biblical, systematic, historical, moral, and pastoral Theology. A one credit senior seminar or thesis completes the program. This flexible schedule enables the Theology major who so desires to pursue a second major in another field or to take additional theology courses. Master of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry Departmental Overview   PURPOSE: The M.A. program in Theology and Christian Ministry was established at Franciscan Univeristy of Steubenville in 1980 to meet a growing need in the Catholic Church for men and women steeped in authentic Catholic theology and able to apply this theology within the many pastoral, teaching and service ministries in the Church today. Each year we receive more requests from Catholic dioceses, parishes, educational institutions, and other ministries for workers who believe deeply in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, adhere to authentic teaching, and are equipped both theologically and pastorally to serve God's people. They contact Franciscan University of Steubenville because they know that our graduates can fulfill this great need. The members of the Theology Factuly at Franciscan Univeristy of Steubenville are fully committed to teaching the truth of the Catholic faith as it is found in the Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Tradition, God's inspired Word as these are taught and interpreted by the official teachers of the Catholic Church, the Pope and the bishops teaching in union with him. We also recognize the need for theology to contribute to the ongoing renewal of the Catholic Church, according to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and recent Popes. Hence, we refer to our theological approach as "dynamic orthodoxy," since we seek to undertake theological study in a way that is at the same time truly faithful to the Catholic Church's magisterium, and is also positive in its tone and open to the authentic impulses of the Holy Spirit. Thus, our graduate theology program reflects the nature of Franciscan University of Steubenville: It is Catholic, Christian and Franciscan in content and spirit. With the exception of our specialization in catechetics, the M.A. program is not intended to prepare specialists in particular areas of theology or Christian ministry, although elective courses in many specific fields are offered. Instead, we wish to provide our Master's students with a solid, graduate-level foundation in Catholic theology that will enable them to serve effectively in a variety of fields of ministry, or to pursue further graduate studies in theology. Indeed, graduates of the program to date, (who have come from five continents and every part of Canada and the United States), have also gone on to serve as hospital chaplains, youth ministers, DRE's, teachers, catechists, missionaries, pastoral workers, campus ministers diocesan service directors, pastors, and many other responsible positions in the Church. Graduates of our Master's program have also gone on to pursue Ph.D. or S.T.D. degrees in Theology at such prestigious schools as Fordham, Marquette, Catholic University of America, and the Pontifical College of St. Thomas (the "Angelicum") in Rome.