Catalog Table of Contents

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1 Table of Contents Catalog SAINT JOHN VIANNEY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY... 3 Description of the Seal...3 Seminarian Vision Prayer...4 Seminary Mission...4 History...7 PRIESTLY FORMATION... 8 Forming Tomorrow s Priests... 8 Human Formation... 8 Spiritual Formation... 9 Pastoral Formation...10 Intellectual Formation...10 PROGRAMS...12 Spirituality Year Degree Programs...13 The Pre-Theology Program...14 Components...14 The Standard Program in Pre-Theology The Bachelor of Philosophy Degree (B.Phil.)...16 The Bachelor of Arts Degree with Philosophy Major (B.A.)...17 Pre-Theology Course Descriptions The Theology Program...23 Program Emphases...23 The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B)...24 The Master of Divinity Degree (M.Div.)...27 Theology Course Descriptions

2 ACADEMIC POLICIES Admission...41 Registration...43 Program Requirements...44 Student Discipline...49 Financial...50 PERSONNEL Board Members...51 Board of Trustees...51 Seminary and Chancery Liaisons...52 Faculty and Staff

3 SAINT JOHN VIANNEY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Description of the Seal The shield, in blue, black and white, is divided into three fields representing the Holy Trinity. The black tau cross that divides the shield is called the Cross of Prophecy or the Advent Cross. This is an ancient symbol for the renewal of the Church and personal conversion. The Tau Cross also reminds us that the way of the disciple requires a daily shouldering of the Cross of Christ. The top field is an expression of gratitude for St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary on whose patrimony our seminary stands today. The seal of that seminary included an open book to symbolize the Scriptures on which was written the word evangelizare, meaning to evangelize. To this we have added noviter, Latin for anew to indicate the new evangelization called for by Blessed Pope John Paul II, after whom the grounds of the seminary are named. The bottom left field features the fleur-de-lis, the stylized lily representing Our Lady and her purity, particularly in the mystery of the Annunciation of the Word made Flesh. The Archangel Gabriel, the messenger of the advent of the Savior, is often pictured holding a lily at the Annunciation. The fleur-de-lis is also a symbol of France and so also indicates our patron, Saint John Marie Vianney. The background of the fleur is blue, the color of Our Lady, to whose intercession the work of the seminary is entrusted. The bottom right field holds another flower, the columbine, whose name comes from the Latin columba, meaning dove. The columbine thus calls to mind the Holy Spirit who is the principal agent of priestly formation. The Christ Child in the Archdiocese of Denver s Icon of Our Lady of the New Advent bears this same flower - also the state flower of Colorado - as an emblem of his tender concern for the Church in Northern Colorado. Below the shield, the banner bears Our Lady s fiat, her response to Gabriel s announcement of her place in the saving plan of God. The words of Mary suggest a new announcement of the Gospel in our day and express the obedience in faith that each member of the seminary community strives to imitate, Let it be done to me according to your word (Lk 1:38). The circle enclosing the shield and banner contains the name of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary, and this seal is used by all divisions of the seminary: the Division for Priestly Formation, the St. Francis School of Theology for Deacons, and the Denver Catholic Biblical and Catechetical Schools. 3

4 Seminarian Vision Prayer Through Him, with Him, in Him, in brotherhood we strive to be discipled by Jesus in all things and to embrace joyfully His Cross, to be ordained and sent as priests for the New Evangelization, inspired by the zeal of Saint John Vianney. Mary, Mother of Priests, pray for us! Seminary Mission Responding to the Lord s command to go and make disciples of all nations and under the apostolic vigilance of the Archbishop of Denver, the mission of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary is discernment of, and unified formation in, priestly identity marked by an intelligence of heart, with men called to proclaim Jesus Christ and build a civilization of love in persona Christi Capitis. Likewise this community forms deacons and lay faithful to live as holy men and women in the Church s mission of the New Evangelization. 4

5 Description of the Seminary Mission The concise language of the Seminary Mission Statement can be elaborated on to give a fuller picture of our understanding of our mission. Responding: We recognize that our mission is a response to God s call. We are obedient discoverers, not inventors, of our mission. The Lord s command to go and make disciples of all nations: This command of the Lord can be found in Matthew 28:19. The Archbishop of Denver: The Archbishop is ultimately responsible for the governance of the Seminary (cf. can. 259; Program for Priestly Formation, ). The most important governance policy is the mission statement of the seminary (Program for Priestly Formation, 305). Our mission is a response to the Great Commission carried out in the hierarchical communion of the Church, under the guidance of the Archbishop of Denver. Unified formation: The common aim of all our faculty and staff is to foster the work of the Holy Spirit in forming the future priest. This requires an integrated work of human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation, each carried out in concert with the appropriately varied contributions of every member of our formation community and ordered toward helping a man to gain human maturity, spiritual ardor, wisdom, and pastoral charity. Priestly identity: All members of our faculty and staff are involved in informing the Church s discernment of whether the signs of priestly identity (beloved son, loyal brother, chaste spouse, spiritual father, divine physician, good shepherd) are manifest and verified in each man preparing for Holy Orders. On the foundation of the baptismal identity (beloved sonship) and its interpersonal flowering in a capacity to be a man of communion (loyal brotherhood), these priestly identities are the hinge of a man s intimacy with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and his vocational mission in the world. The four areas of formation (spiritual, intellectual, human, and pastoral) and the human relationships in which this formation unfolds are all aimed at assisting the seminarian to receive and express his priestly identity. Divine Love forms these identities in every man called to priesthood. They are the reality of such a man s capacity for growing intimacy with God to love God with his whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. The more a man grows in intimacy with God, the more these identities will be evident to him and to others in the way he loves his neighbor even as Christ does. Thus there is a kind of perichoresis of Trinitarian intimacy, priestly identity, and vocational action in mission: In Trinitarian intimacy, the man lives out his vocational identity in mission living Christ's own chaste spousal love for the Church, living Christ s own revelation of the Father s love, living Christ s own healing love, and living Christ s own pastoral authority. Intelligence of heart: This formula is an integrative term cited in Pastores Dabo Vobis (51) to express the unity of the educational process in its diverse aspects. The commitment to study, which takes up no small part of the time of those preparing for the priesthood, is not in fact an external and secondary dimension of their human, Christian, spiritual, and vocational growth. In reality, through study, especially the study of theology, the future priest assents to the word of God, grows in his spiritual life and prepares himself to fulfill his pastoral ministry. This is the many sided and unifying scope of the theological study indicated by the Council (Optatam Totius, 5

6 16) and re-proposed by the synod's Instrumentum Laboris: To be pastorally effective, intellectual formation is to be integrated with a spirituality marked by a personal experience of God. In this way a purely abstract approach to knowledge is overcome in favor of that intelligence of heart which knows how to look beyond, and then is in a position to communicate the mystery of God to the people (IL, 39). Called to proclaim: Our aim is to form priests who know and proclaim the person of Jesus Christ, in Whom the Father s Word is fully revealed. This aim is rooted in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: The transmission of the Christian faith consists primarily in proclaiming Jesus Christ in order to lead others to faith in him (CCC 425, cf. 426). Civilization of love: The specific mission of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary includes a special stewardship of a unique grace for the New Evangelization communicated through the ministry of Saint John Paul II at World Youth Day This is a distinguishing feature of our seminary vis à vis other seminaries. The use of this phrase, used by Saint John Paul II in his August 14, 1993 homily at World Youth Day in Denver and in his 1994 Letter to Families, acknowledges that special grace and stewardship which shape the mission of our seminary (cf. Archbishop Aquila s homily on the 20 th Anniversary of World Youth Day, 15 August 2013). In persona Christi capitis: The Catechism makes especially clear the relation between the identity and mission of the priest: In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis (CCC 1548). Likewise: While the primary work of Saint John Vianney Seminary is the formation of men for the Roman Catholic priesthood, we bring the same vision of holistic, integrated formation to the work of our diaconal and lay divisions in The Saint Francis School of Theology for Deacons, the Catholic Biblical School, and the Catechetical School. The formation of deacons is carried out in accordance with the Congregation for Catholic Education s 1998 Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Diaconorum Permanentium (Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons), which specifies the need for human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation (66-88). Our lay divisions offer both academic and faith formation to the people of the Archdiocese of Denver. New Evangelization: As described in the section on Civilization of love, the specific mission of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary includes a special stewardship of a unique grace for the New Evangelization communicated through the ministry of Saint John Paul II at World Youth Day

7 History St. John Vianney Theological Seminary was officially constituted on March 17, 1999 and inaugurated on the Feast of the Birth of Mary, September 8, of that same year. Since then, the Seminary has been dedicated to forming priests for the new millennium and offering programs of formation for permanent deacons and the lay faithful. The groundwork of the enterprise was laid by Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, then the Archbishop of Denver, who purchased the site of the former St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary from the Congregation of the Mission in The facility, which included the Archbishop Vehr Library, had served as the focus for priestly formation for the dioceses and religious orders of the region since The facility was remodeled and re-named the John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization to serve as a campus for the Archdiocesan Chancery. There was also a vision that the campus would become a resource for priestly formation and the renewal of the Church. Cardinal Stafford s successor, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., advanced this vision by commissioning a study to determine the feasibility of establishing an educational institution on the site. After much consultation with the priests and people of the archdiocese, Archbishop Chaput announced his plan to open a theological institute to serve the formation needs of clergy and laity engaged in the new evangelization. These plans resulted in what has become St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, a free- standing diocesan seminary with a Spirituality Year, Pre-Theologate, and Theologate for priestly formation. Under the direction of the Archbishop of Denver, Samuel J. Aquila, the seminary currently serves the Archdiocese of Denver and 14 other dioceses throughout the United States. In the fall of 2014, there were 136 students enrolled, 32% of whom are international students from 16 different countries. Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary is dedicated to the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of its academic programs. The Seminary is committed to offering a solid formation program for the preparation of young men to serve as Catholic priests in the dioceses of the mountain and great plains regions, as well as other parts of the country and world. In the past five years, the Seminary has increased enrollment by more than 20% and more than 110 men have earned the Master of Divinity Degree. Every graduate (100%) of St. John Vianney Seminary has been placed in a parish immediately after graduation and ordination. Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary is affiliated with the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome and associated with Regis University in Denver. The seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The following degree program is approved by the Commission on Accrediting: MDiv. The Commission can be contacted at: 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburg, PA or

8 PRIESTLY FORMATION As Christ Loved the Church, a pastoral letter by our founding archbishop, Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., guides priestly formation at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. This letter reflects on the long tradition in the Church of identifying four crucial pillars of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. Our seminary is committed to forming men in each of these pillars. Each seminarian has a formation advisor that works individually with him to help the seminarian integrate the four pillars. The formation advisor also serves to represent the seminarian to the faculty and the faculty to the seminarian. The description of each pillar which follows is excerpted from Archbishop Chaput s pastoral letter. Forming Tomorrow s Priests The great Eastern Father, Gregory Nazianzus, wrote, We must begin by purifying ourselves; we must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close to others, be sanctified to sanctify, led by the hand and counsel prudently. John Paul II has echoed Nazianzus insight in his conceptual division of priestly formation into four main areas of focus in Chapter 5 of Pastores Dabo Vobis. Human Formation Purifying ourselves before purifying others. Every priest is called to be the living image of Jesus, and therefore should seek to reflect in himself, as far as possible, the human perfection which shines forth in the incarnate Son of God. The priest should mold his human personality in such a way that it becomes a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 43). The human perfection of Christ does not make Him less fully human, but precisely more so. He is what God wills all of us to become. The priest becomes more human, not less, by striving for the full human maturity which shows itself in the natural virtues. Thus, the Holy Father writes, Future priests should therefore cultivate a series of human qualities, not only out of proper and due growth and realization of one s self, but also with a view to the ministry. These qualities are needed for them to be balanced people, strong and free, capable of bearing the weight of pastoral responsibilities. They need to be educated to love the truth, to be loyal, to respect every person, to have a sense of justice, to be true to their word, to be genuinely compassionate, to be men of integrity and, especially, to be balanced in judgment and behavior (PDV, 43). For the celibate priest, the nuptial meaning of the body is expressed by reserving physical sexual expression in the same way that Jesus did. Just as Christ offered Himself on the cross as a consummation of the marriage between Himself and the Church, it is by making of their bodies a spiritual sacrifice (Rm. 12:1) that priests wed themselves to the Bride of Christ. The Church, as the spouse of Jesus Christ, wishes to be loved by the priest in the total and exclusive manner in which Jesus Christ her head and spouse loved her (PDV, 29). 8

9 While grace can overcome any weakness, seminarians should strive for an understanding of self which neither discounts the importance of their God-given sexuality nor naively underestimates the demands of a celibate life. In a very real way, the seminary is a period of prenuptial preparation in which a man seeks, by the grace of God, to make himself the sort of man the Church wants and needs as her spouse. Just as marriage requires free and willing consent, the gift of celibacy can only be received if it is freely and willingly embraced by the priest. Unfortunately, some people in recent decades have resented it, hoped it will be changed, or internalized it in a purely legalistic way. Yet without consent to the bride, the priestly life will never be as fruitful as it can be. This consent to the Church is expressed and consummated in each priest s loving and generous availability to God s people. As the Catechism so beautifully states, Accepted with a joyous heart, celibacy radiantly proclaims the Reign of God (CCC, 1579). Spiritual Formation Be sanctified to sanctify. A proper human formation leads to an openness to the possibility of sanctity. That possibility is realized through intimacy with God in the Trinity. As the Holy Father teaches, Christ is the key to entry into that divine communion of love. Those who take on the likeness of Christ the Priest by sacred ordination should form the habit of drawing close to him as friend in every detail of His life (PDV, 45). Without daily prayer, a priest cannot meet the responsibilities of his vocation. This is true for Christians in every vocation - but how much more so for the priest, who must serve as a kind of scout, guide and agent of hope for those who choose to tread the spiritual path cut by Christ, the pioneer and perfector of our faith (Heb 12:2). The obligations of the priestly state include daily recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, with and for the whole Church. Priests should, above all, seek to offer the Eucharist daily, since it is [from] this unique sacrifice their whole priestly ministry draws its strength (CCC, 1566). A regular recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation is also a requisite to any advancement in the spiritual life. Seminarians should never think of these anchors of the priestly life as burdens from which one might need a break or respite. They are not just things that a priest does, but integral to who the priest is. The priest cannot be just a man who prays; he must be a man of prayer, a man transformed by constant prayer. The life of prayer must also include daily reading of and reflection on the Sacred Scriptures, the Word of God. Without a deep familiarity with the plan of the mystery revealed in Christ (Eph. 3:9), a priest cannot disclose that mystery to others. Of course, celebration of the Eucharist, recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours and the reading of Sacred Scripture form the solid foundation for meditative prayer. This, too, needs to be a daily part of the life of a priest. Many use the rosary as a springboard for deeper meditation. This staple of Catholic piety deserves a primary place in the daily regimen of priests. 9

10 A few words should also be said about what used to be called mortification. Fasting and other forms of self-discipline are essentially a form of practice in self-giving. If we are constantly allowing ourselves the many luxuries which the modern world places before us, we will not be ready to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those we ought to love: God and neighbor. Little, quiet gifts of self to God in the form of small sacrifices go a very long way toward reorienting us away from an addictive concern with the consumption of things toward a loving availability to God and neighbor. Prayer and fasting, along with constant dedication to the service of God s people, teach priests to draw close to Christ as a friend in every detail of their lives. Pastoral Formation Draw close to God to bring Him close to others. Lead by the hand and counsel prudently. As John Paul II writes, The whole training of [seminary] students should have as its object to make them shepherds of souls after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest and shepherd (PDV, 57, quoting the Second Vatican Council s Optatam Totius, 4). The formation of the candidate for ordination must aim at inculcating a pastoral charity that will enable the priest to be the living image of Christ he is called to be. To image Christ the Good Shepherd and Spouse of the Church the seminarian s formation must have a specifically pastoral orientation. It is not enough that one be emotionally, spiritually and intellectually mature. All these attributes have to be placed at the service of others in the priesthood. Thus, add-on ministry courses are not enough in the pastoral formation of young men for the priesthood. Pastoral formation requires that the seminarian be able to integrate what he has learned through study with what he has learned by experience. Every moment of the process of growth in the seminary should make reference to the pastoral setting. In addition to specific classes in areas such as pastoral counseling, parish management and homiletics, we will rely heavily on our pastors and people in this process of introducing and preparing men for work in parochial ministry. It is the seminary s sincere hope that placement with the pastors of the Archdiocese of Denver and with the people in the parishes of northern Colorado will be real occasions for growth for our seminarians. In these places, above all, they will learn how to love the Bride of Christ as she needs to be loved: as Christ Himself loves her. Intellectual Formation We must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate. One of the greatest challenges faced in opening any new seminary is the design of a sufficiently strong academic program. The Church supplies specific guidelines for seminary studies. These stress that intellectual formation is not a thing apart from human, spiritual, or pastoral formation. The desire to know is, after all, a central part of being human. Seminary study aims at an ever deeper understanding of the mysteries expressed in the spiritual life; and it prepares the 10

11 seminarian to offer the pastoral guidance to those who need to find in those same mysteries the meaning of their joys and sorrows. Like good stewards of the Kingdom, we intend to draw out both the old and the new to present to our seminarians. They will be exposed to the masters of intellectual history in the areas of philosophy and theology as well as practical pastoral training that will result in the unified, internally coherent curriculum that the Church calls for in seminaries (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Program of Priestly Formation, 351). Of course, that must include an approach to theology which is comprehensive and extensive, covering the range of Christian doctrine (PPF, 339). And, in keeping with the declaration of the Second Vatican Council that the study of the sacred page should be the very soul of theology (Dei Verbum, 24 and cf. Sapientia Christiana, Art 67.1), we seek to make the Scriptures the very foundation of the curriculum. The components of seminary life include classes, liturgies, service in parishes and service to the poor, as well as time set aside for personal prayer. It is vital that all these elements contribute to a unified vision of the gospel message in all its beauty. By this means a purely abstract approach to knowledge is overcome in favor of that intelligence of heart which knows how to look beyond, and then is in a position to communicate the mystery of God to the people (PDV, 51). 11

12 PROGRAMS The fundamental aim of the programs offered by St. John Vianney Theological Seminary is to cultivate the intelligence of heart called for by Saint John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis. To this end, before each seminarian undertakes the pre-theology and theology academic programs, a spirituality year offers non-academic formation: a program of prayer, spiritual formation, reading, community, and service directed to personal appropriation of the faith. This novitiate for the diocesan priesthood provides a personal foundation for the subsequent disciplined study of truth offered in the academic programs of study. Hearts inclined to the Word-made-flesh allow Him, who is the source of priestly formation, to more fruitfully reveal Himself in all areas of study and formation. Accordingly, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary offers three programs: a non-academic program centered on the deepening of spiritual life, the spirituality year; an academic pre-theology program that features undergraduate level study of philosophy; and an academic program of graduate level study in theology. The pre-theology program of studies provides standard requirements for entry into the theology program as well as options to pursue the ecclesiastical Baccalaureate in Philosophy (B. Phil.) and the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy. The program of studies in theology offers two degree programs, the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) and the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), that provide the academic course requirements for priestly ordination. Spirituality Year The Spirituality Year has been a central part of the formation of seminarians at St. John Vianney Seminary since its founding in The purpose of the year is to give each seminarian the opportunity to lay a strong spiritual foundation for his priestly life. The Spirituality Year aims to develop each seminarian in the areas of prayer, community life, intellectual life, and pastoral life. These areas correspond to the four pillars of formation spiritual, human, intellectual, and pastoral mentioned in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Program of Priestly Formation, fifth edition. Prayer Prayer is central to the Spirituality Year. Six days a week seminarians spend an hour in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This encounter flows from and leads back to the daily celebration of the Holy Mass. The life of prayer is supported by the recitation of the Divine Office as well as by instruction on prayer as described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and on the teachings of great spiritual masters with a reliance on Ignatian spirituality and rules of discernment. A normal day involves 2 1/2 to 3 hours of communal and silent prayer. Several retreats mark the year: a three day retreat in the fall, a five day retreat in March and, as the capstone of the Spirituality Year, an Ignatian thirty day retreat. 12

13 Community Life A new Spirituality Year building was completed in May 2010, providing the perfect setting for human development through a life of Christian charity in community. The seminarians pray, study, work, and recreate together. These activities in common enable the seminarians to grow in self-knowledge, form friendships, and grow in the mutual sense of being called to share in Christ s call and mission. This year includes a media fast, a sign of turning from the world and toward Christ. Seminarians refrain from using phones, television, computers, popular media, and other electronic devices every day except for Saturday (access to these is allowed on Saturdays so that seminarians may stay connected to family and friends to a reasonable degree). Seminarians invariably develop a new freedom as well as a stilling of one s heart. Intellectual Life The study involved in this year aims at being transformative; there are no tests. Each weekday two hours are spent in the classroom. Priests and professors from the main seminary lead Spirituality Year seminarians in an exploration of several topics throughout the year: Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Great Spiritual Works, the Documents of Vatican II, and the Church s teachings on the nature of priesthood. The seminarians are given two hours each morning to read and pray. By the end of the year, each seminarian will have read the entire Scriptures and Catechism (in addition to many other works). Pastoral Life For most of the year, the men spend Thursday afternoons in an apostolic activity such as visiting the elderly, teaching young people, or ministering to the sick. In January, the seminarians are sent out two-by-two for one month to be immersed in the lives of the poor as they serve in diverse apostolates such as homeless shelters, Indian reservations, and the homes of the extremely poor. This experience gives seminarians the opportunity to bring Jesus to the poor, find our Lord in the poor, and practice relying on the Providential Love of the Father. Degree Programs St. John Vianney Theological Seminary offers undergraduate and graduate programs of study that form seminarians for the Catholic priesthood in conformity with the requirements of the USCCB s (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ) Program of Priestly Formation (PPF). At the undergraduate level, the seminary offers three different programs of Pre-Theology studies, each of which prepare students for graduate level work in theology in accord with the norms set by the PPF: The Standard Program in Pre-Theology (non-degree, certificate program). The Bachelor of Philosophy degree (B. Phil.), offered in affiliation with the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. The Bachelor of Arts degree with Philosophy Major (B.A.), offered through Regis University in Denver, Colorado. 13

14 At the graduate level, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary offers two graduate degree programs in theological study, which prepare men for the intellectual challenges of the priesthood, as well as the practical pastoral aspects of the life and ministry of a priest. These are: The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology degree (S.T.B.), offered in affiliation with the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. The Master of Divinity degree (M. Div.), accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. The Pre-Theology Program The Pre-Theology Program at St. John Vianney is a two- or three-year cycle of courses which includes three essential components: philosophy, introductory courses in theology, and languages. These elements are designed to promote the intellectual formation of the seminarian and to provide a solid foundation for advanced theological study. Seminarians may choose between degree and non-degree programs in philosophy to meet the entrance requirements for the four-year Theology Program. Normally all seminarians must at a minimum fulfill the requirements of the PPF. Components Philosophy Component The study of philosophy is central to our Pre-Theology Program. The goal of the philosophy curriculum is "to develop a reflective awareness of the fundamental relationship that exists between the human spirit and truth, that truth which is revealed to us fully in Jesus Christ" (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 52). This includes both theoretical and practical knowledge of the identity and dignity of the human person and of the real possibility for discovering objective truth. The curriculum considers the role of reason in determining man s true good, ethical norms, the origin of values, the existence and nature of God, and the integral foundations for building the common good. These are the subject matter of philosophy as an autonomous discipline, based on its own methodology and the light of human reason. Philosophy also has an important value in relation to theology. By studying philosophy in the light of faith, seminarians are formed in the following capacities: to think logically and critically as well as to express, in writing and speech, a coherent line of reasoning, which will serve as an aid in catechesis and homiletics; to understand the roots of contemporary cultural trends, so he may enter into serious dialogue with persons who have different views, and offer valid reasons that support positions consistent with Catholic teaching; to understand the historical roots of Catholic philosophy, its variety and richness, and its continued relevance for men, women, and families as they face contemporary challenges to the common good; and to make careful and accurate ethical distinctions as aids to counseling others in spiritual direction, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or in other encounters with people they meet. 14

15 Theology and Language Components of Pre-Theology The PPF requires that the curriculum for pre-theology include introductory theology courses, liberal arts, and a foundational knowledge of Latin and Biblical Languages (189). In light of this, our Pre-Theology Program includes introductory courses in theology, including in the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as courses in sacred music, Latin, and Hebrew. The following courses are required of all students regardless of whether they are enrolled in the Standard Program in Pre-Theology, the Bachelor of Philosophy degree, or the Bachelor of Arts degree with Philosophy Major: Theo 1025 Theo 1560 Theo 2025 Theo 2050 Lat 1001 Lat 1002 Lat 2003 Heb 2010 Introduction to Theology Sacred Music Theology of St. Thomas Topics in Theology Total Latin I Latin II Latin III Hebrew Total 3 credits 3 credits 3 credits 3 credits 12 credits 3 credits 3 credits 3 credits 3 credits 12 credits The Standard Program in Pre-Theology St. John Vianney s Standard Program in Pre-Theology is rigorous and effective. It is a nondegree plan of study which requires 38 credit hours in philosophy and the completion of 12 hours of language and 12 hours of undergraduate theology. At the conclusion of the program, students must successfully complete an oral comprehensive examination covering the philosophy curriculum. In addition to the undergraduate theology and language courses listed above, the following philosophy courses are required in the Standard Program: Phil 1004 Ancient Western Philosophy 3 credits Phil 1005 Philosophical Methods and Logic 3 credits Phil 1007 Epistemology 3 credits Phil 1008 Metaphysics 3 credits Phil 1009 Medieval Philosophy 3 credits Phil 1010 Philosophical Anthropology 3 credits Phil 2004 Modern Philosophy 3 credits Phil 1003 Philosophy of God 3 credits Phil 2006 Ethics 3 credits Phil 2008 Contemporary Philosophy 3 credits Phil 2009 Social and Political Philosophy 2 credits Phil 2011 Rhetoric 2 credits Phil 2012 Philosophy of Nature and Science 3 credits Phil 2999 Comprehensive Exam 1 credit Total: 38 credits 15

16 The Bachelor of Philosophy Degree (B.Phil.) Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary offers a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in affiliation with the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. Because of the depth and breadth of the Standard Program in Pre-Theology, a student who completes the courses required for it needs only 13 additional credits to complete the required philosophy coursework for the B. Phil. degree. Other coursework outside of philosophy is required for the B. Phil. degree, but students who have attended college or university prior to entering the seminary are often able to receive transfer credit allowing them to complete the B. Phil. in four semesters. Others choose to extend their studies in Pre-Theology in order to earn the B. Phil. The additional philosophy courses required for the B. Phil are: Phil 2003 Philosophy of Religion 2 credits Phil 2007 Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas 2 credits Phil 2010 Senior Thesis 3 credits Phil 2350 Elective Seminar 4 credits Phil 2350 Elective Course 2 credits Elective Offerings for the B. Phil. Degree The department offers one elective each semester which can be taken either as a two-credit course or as a four-credit seminar requiring a major seminar paper. Electives are organized around important topics or figures in Philosophy. In recent years the department has offered electives on the following topics and figures: Conjugal Friendship and the Public Square French Personalism Neo-Platonic Thinkers Philosophy and the Embryo Plato Science and Religion Selected Works of C.S. Lewis The Problem of Evil Thesis and Comprehensive Examination Requirements for B. Phil. Degree A senior thesis is required as the final achievement of study for the Bachelor of Philosophy degree. The thesis, written under the supervision of a philosophy instructor, should demonstrate a student s ability to present research in philosophy with clarity and organization. The thesis is written in accordance with the Norms of Affiliation established by the Congregation for Catholic Education, the regulations of the Pontifical Lateran University and the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary Department of Philosophy. A comprehensive oral examination, presided over by a delegate of the Pontifical Lateran University, is also required for the Bachelor of Philosophy degree. 16

17 The Bachelor of Arts Degree with Philosophy Major (B.A.) St. John Vianney Theological Seminary offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. The bachelor s degree requires the student to complete a total of 128 credit hours, including 30 semester credits in philosophy. All of the philosophy credits required for the Regis degree, as well as language electives and courses in Catholic Humanities, can be taken at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Core classes are taken on the campus of Regis University, or may be transferred in from other institutions. The normal length of time required to complete the B.A. degree from Regis University is four years. Students who have attended other accredited colleges or universities may petition to have their credits transferred to Regis University to fulfill degree requirements and reduce the time required to complete the degree. Pre-Theology Course Descriptions Philosophy Phil 1003 Philosophy of God (3 credits) (Prerequisite: Phil 1008) This course is designed to introduce students to the philosophical study of God. Questions to be examined include whether the existence of God is susceptible to rational demonstration, what is meant by the name God, and what can be known about the nature of a transcendent Supreme Being. The objection that the existence of evil is incompatible with the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God will also be considered. Phil 1004 Ancient Western Philosophy (3 Credits) Students in this course will read primary source texts of selected Presocratic philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, and come to grips with the main issues in philosophical consideration of nature, knowledge, metaphysics, ethics, anthropology, and politics as first articulated in Western thought. Phil 1005 Philosophical Methods and Logic (3 Credits) This course explores the Catholic understanding of the relationship between faith and reason. Students will examine St. John Paul II s work Fides et Ratio as well as classic and contemporary authors including St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. The course will discuss philosophical methodology and the relationship between philosophy and theology. It will promote students critical thinking skills through a study of logic. Students will learn to recognize arguments, to identify premises and conclusions, to evaluate deductive and non-deductive arguments, to distinguish forms of definition, and to recognize formal and informal fallacies. Phil 1007 Epistemology (3 Credits) This course is a systematic treatment of knowledge and truth in the realist tradition. Students examine classic texts within the realist tradition and study contemporary challenges to it. The treatment of epistemology includes a discussion of the foundations of knowledge and challenges posed by relativism and conventionalism as well as strictly formal and conceptual systems akin to mathematics. In addition to examining the nature of knowledge and its relation to belief, opinion, and error, students will discuss perception, abstraction, insight, truth and certitude, and conclude with a discussion of scientific knowledge and its relation to perceptual knowledge. 17

18 Phil 1008 Metaphysics (3 Credits) Beginning with the question of being itself, this course will examine the transcendental and analogous properties of being; the fundamental structures of reality, including act and potency, essence and existence, form and matter, substance and accident; and the causes of being and becoming. Modern and contemporary views of being and change are examined and evaluated against the backdrop of an Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics. Phil 1009 Medieval Philosophy (3 Credits) (Prerequisite: Phil 1004) The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to Medieval philosophy, philosophy in the Age of Faith. Although we will briefly look at Greek, Islamic, and Jewish philosophical thought, this course will largely concern itself with the philosophical thinking of the Christian West. We will consider issues such as faith and reason, time and eternity, the existence and nature of God, the problem of evil, the nature of the will and the passions and their relation to the intellect, and the breakdown of the Medieval synthesis. Students will read original works of Plotinus, Augustine, Boethius, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, and other selected philosophers of this period. Phil 1010 Philosophical Anthropology (3 credits) (Prerequisites: Phil 1004 and Phil 1008). This course aims at offering a philosophical integral vision of the human person. We will briefly review the Thomistic understanding of the human person as a body/soul composite previously studied in medieval philosophy. Building on this Thomistic foundation, the course will study Karol Wojtyła s The Acting Person in light of its major sources (Thomas Aquinas, Saint John of the Cross, and Max Scheler). We will concentrate on the integral vision of the human person offered by the Polish philosopher by closely studying its five main aspects: consciousness, efficacy, transcendence, integration in the person, and participation (or integration between persons). Phil 2003 Philosophy of Religion (2 credits) (Prerequisite: Phil 1003, 1008) Students in this course will consider the reality of religion as it is found phenomenologically and ontologically. Religion is thus discovered to be an original phenomenon based on man's spiritual nature, which cannot be reduced to or explained in mere sociological, psychological or cultural terms. Phil 2004 Modern Philosophy (3 credits) (Prerequisite: Phil 1009) The aim of this course is to introduce students to several of the major thinkers and ideas from the modern period ( ). The focus will be on rationalism, empiricism, and the enlightenment and will include the thought of Bacon, Descartes, Leibniz, Pascal, Locke, and Hume with a particular emphasis on Kant. Attention will be given to the way modern philosophy has formed contemporary secular culture. Phil 2006 Ethics (3 credits) This course involves a survey of classical theories of ethics with a special emphasis on virtue theory and natural law. Themes such as voluntary and involuntary actions, conscience, derivation of norms, moral value, development of human character, happiness, friendship, and love will be included. Ethical theories based on rationalism, utilitarianism, relativism, emotivism, etc. will also be critically examined. 18

19 Phil 2007 Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas (2 credits) (Prerequisites: Phil 1007, 1008, 1009 and 2006) Building on the principles of Thomas Aquinas studied in other historical and thematic courses, this course will take a synthetic view of his philosophical thought. Emphasis will be placed on reading Thomas' original works. Phil 2008 Contemporary Philosophy (3 credits) (Prerequisite: Phil 2004) The aim of this course is to introduce students to several of the major thinkers and ideas from the past three centuries of western philosophy. Topics will include German idealism, theistic and atheistic existentialism, language theory, phenomenology, neo- Thomism, personalism, hermeneutics, and postmodernism. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which these philosophies interact with and are integrated into Catholic philosophy. Phil 2009 Social and Political Philosophy (2 credits) This course will explore how modern and contemporary philosophy have approached the relationships among the individual, the community, and economic and political structures. In particular the course will consider how capitalism and the philosophies of Rousseau, Mill, and Marx have shaped our contemporary understanding of the relationship between the person and the community. In response to these writers we will consider the contemporary Catholic understanding as found in thinkers including Jacques Maritain, Yves Simon, and G.K. Chesterton as well as in several of the social encyclicals. We will explore the ideas of the common good, subsidiarity, and distributism. The course will conclude with consideration of the relationship between church and state in contemporary society. Phil 2010 Senior Seminar (B.Phil. Thesis) (3 credits) (Prerequisite: Completion of the first year of the philosophy cycle) Under the supervision of a philosophy professor of his choice, each student will prepare a 30 page paper on a topic he selects, relevant to contemporary philosophy. This project should provide an opportunity for the student to synthesize what he has learned in his philosophical studies, bringing pertinent points from other courses and periods to bear on his specified topic in contemporary philosophy. During class, students will share what they are learning as their research and writing progress. Phil 2011 Rhetoric (2 credits) The aim of this course is to introduce students to the principles of classical rhetoric as articulated by Aristotle, Cicero, Quintillian, and other ancient rhetoricians. Beginning with Augustine, we shall also consider Medieval and Renaissance developments of this tradition. This course emphasizes the modern application of classical rhetoric and makes extensive use of examples, including those that would contribute to the pastoral vocation of a priest. The course is primarily concerned with the theory of rhetoric rather than the training of rhetoricians, although students are required to give brief oral presentations. Phil 2012 Philosophy of Nature and Science (3 credits) This is a course in the philosophy of nature and science for seminarians. We will address four basic and related questions: What is nature? What is modern science? What is the relationship of the modern sciences to philosophy? What is the relationship of the modern sciences to religion generally and to Catholicism in particular? The first part of the course considers basic principles and issues concerning the relations of science, religious faith, and philosophy. The second part of the course considers these principles in what might be called case studies. We will discuss the 19

20 Copernican Revolution, the Galileo case, reductionism, Big Bang cosmology, the Anthropic Principle, and the Theory of Evolution. Phil 2350 Selected Topics and Figures in Philosophy (2 or 4 credits - elective) Each semester, at least one elective Topics and Figures course is offered which may be taken for either 2 or 4 credits. Students taking the course for 2 credits will complete all required weekly work and any examinations. Students taking the course for 4 credits will complete all required weekly work and write a major paper in several drafts under the supervision of the course instructor. Recent and current offerings include: Conjugal Friendship and the Public Square; French Personalism; Neoplatonic Thinkers; Philosophy and the Embryo; Philosophy of Intellectual Illumination; Selected Writings of C.S. Lewis. Descriptions of several of these courses are given below. Phil 2350 Selected Topic: Conjugal Friendship and the Public Square Accepting St. John Paul II s invitation in Familiaris Consortio 31, this course offers a philosophical study of the essence of marriage as conjugal friendship and its importance for political ethics. The course will be divided into three parts. The first one will be dedicated to the contemporary Catholic and philosophical attempt to present the conjugal view of marriage, within the context of the current debate about the redefinition of marriage. The second one will study the Aristotelian and Thomistic understanding of marriage as conjugal friendship in light of Karol Wojtyla s reflections in Love and Responsibility. The third and last part of the course will analyze the relationship of marriage as conjugal friendship and the common good of the constitutional democratic state. Phil 2350 Selected Topic: French Personalism This course explores the philosophy of personalism as it developed in France between the World Wars. This school of thought was a particularly Catholic philosophical alternative to the dominant views of the person as either an isolated individual or a mere member of a collective. The course focuses on the two major thinkers in this movement, Jacques Maritain and Emmanuel Mounier, and explores the historical, political, social and economic conditions which gave rise to this school thought. It also considers the role personalists played in rejuvenating the influence of Catholic philosophy on French culture. The course concludes with a consideration of the influence of French Personalism on contemporary Catholic thought. Phil 2350 Selected Topic: Neoplatonic Thinkers This course involves an examination of the origin and transmission of Neoplatonism, one of the most influential forces in the development of medieval philosophy and theology. After studying the origins of Neoplatonism in Plotinus and Proclus, the course takes up some of the most important writers by whom it was transmitted to medieval Christian thinkers: Augustine, pseudo- Dionysius, the author of the Liber de causis, and Thomas Aquinas. Phil 2350 Selected Topic: Philosophy and the Embryo The goal of this course is a comprehensive understanding of the history of philosophical views of the human embryo and the current disputed questions regarding its status. The course begins with a review of the most current scientific understanding of the embryo and then turns to an examination of the views of thinkers including Hippocrates, Aristotle, Tertullian, Origen, Jerome, Augustine, Boethius, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, J.S. Mill, Marcel, Judith Jarvis 20