Sr. Margaret Murphy, O.P.
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Fall 2006 Courses
REL 130: Introduction to World Religions
The primary purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the religious patterns of humanity in a worldwide perspective.
- To acquaint the student with the world's major religious traditions within their cultural contexts
- To provide an opportunity for a multi-faceted reflection on the religious dimension of human experience
- To examine the way diverse religious traditions have understood the sacred, the concept of God, faith, salvation and human destiny
- To inculcate respect for diversity in spirituality grounded in research experiences
REL 318.6: Dominican Spirituality
The primary purpose of this course is to introduce the student to Dominican Spirituality, which began with the work of Dominic de Guzman in the thirteenth century. The specific objectives are:
- To acquaint the student with this spirituality, which arose in opposition to Catharism, which maintained the God was remote and that there was a fundamental opposition between the divine and this material world
- To acquaint the student with the life and virtues of St. Dominic with application to the contemporary world of the 21st Century United States
- To understand "truth-veritas" as exemplified in the Dominican Saints and their apostolic world through the centuries
- To examine the concepts of collegiality and the sacred work of "study"
- To understand the charism of the Dominican Order - "to Praise, To Bless, To Preach" and it's implications as the foundational philosophy of the founders of Mount Saint Mary College
Spring 2007 Courses
REL 309.5: Parables of Jesus
The primary purposed of the course is to introduce the student to the Parables of the New Testament. The Parables are profound stories that use image and metaphor to reveal a new world and a new way of living. The course will provide an opportunity for a multi-faceted reflection on the religious dimension of human experience.