Nicholas Schilling (Law, Political Science, Peace Studies)

As a current law student at ND, and former undergraduate, I am distressed to hear of the possible changes to the THEO requirement of the core curriculum. I was a political science major and peace studies minor as an undergraduate, but my theology courses left an indelible mark upon my personal development as a student and as a Catholic person engaging the world.

The discipline of theology, as "faith seeking understanding", is a distinct and integral part of the Notre Dame experience. No student should graduate from Notre Dame without having taken theology courses. Religious studies courses are objective studies of how religion interacts with various portions of the human experience, but theology courses allow students to think more concretely and directly about how matters of faith can and do influence and guide the human pursuit of truth. Theology is a good that must be pursued as a good in and of itself by Catholic institutions. To ignore this responsibility would be to ignore the heart of what makes Notre Dame a special place. No amount of federal national research awards can ever measure up to the true value of theology upon the student experience. 

These THEO requirements have enabled generations of Notre Dame students to develop a faith that truly seeks understanding. My grandfather (Class of '53) used his theology background to supplement the way he saw the world and instill moral values in his children. His sixth child (and one of his six students to attend ND) was my father (Class of '86). My dad's commitment to his faith was nurtured by his study of theology at Notre Dame and affected the way he taught his children to love. My mother, an SMC grad of '86 and theology minor at ND, who is now coming back to pursue a master's of theology, finds that she is continually seeking to understand through her faith. The same goes for both of my sisters (Class of '10 and '16, respectively), who have developed notions of female adulthood based upon a true pursuit of truth through faith. For myself, my only regret is that I did not pursue more theology classes as an undergrad. I would never have known of my own insatiable desire to use my faith to seek understanding had it not been for those initial introductions in my THEO requirement courses.

Perhaps this decision is a reaction to some students' poor experiences in those THEO requirement courses, but that is not a reflection on the value of theology as a discipline. It is a reflection of the commitment of the University to nurture and develop its heart along with its mind. This phrase is used so often as lip service to justify enormous expenditures that push the University further and further from its core, and this decision to remove the THEO requirement is a sad expression of a loss of identity. If there is a problem with the courses offered or the faculty available, then, perhaps, Notre Dame would be better suited to use some of its expected $1 billion dollar expenditure over the next decade to reinforce an important and vital aspect of an undergraduate education. There are things that are truly important, and there are others that are not. How do we serve our students if we do not push them to think not only of their faith in this world, but also in the next?

Notre Dame should work less to be like its (so called) peer institutions and work more to be like itself. Catholicity, and thus the required study of theology, is the most important characteristic.

Jessica Heintz (STEM: Biology - Medical School)

Although there are many things I could say about the value of my theological education at the University of Notre Dame, two things in particular come to mind. To begin, I majored in biology, and I will admit that I did not mull over the finer points of my science courses beyond the classroom anymore than I had to. However, the class that fulfilled my second theology requirement (War, Peace, and Conscience with Professor Michael Baxter, Fall 2010) was the complete opposite and undoubtedly one of the best classes I ever took at Notre Dame. Very few courses over my four years at Notre Dame kept me thinking about their topics outside of the classroom, and this theology class was one of the most engaging.

At the end of each theology class, I would find my mind still reeling over the discussion topic for the day as I packed up my bag and wandered back to my dormitory. During meals, I wanted to engage my friends in conversation about the class and all that I was learning. The papers and other assignments for the class were not just something to check off a list and get done as soon as possible. I really cared about the topics and wanted to take the time to understand the material and form my own educated opinions. Thus, although I greatly valued my science education at Notre Dame, it was a theology class that left the greatest mark on my heart and mind.

I feel that many other STEM majors would say the same thing at the end of their time at Notre Dame. It would be a disappointment if students missed out on the beauty of theology classes. If not required, many students might not have the opportunity to participate in a theology class due to the myriad of other required courses and demands that accompany a STEM major. Furthermore, some students might decline to take a theology course because they do not realize what they are passing up on. Help keep students' eyes open, help them see the bigger world around them, which is one that extends beyond science and engineering labs.

The second point I wanted to share is in regards to my minor in Catholic Social Tradition. I picked up the minor during my sophomore year, and that decision has had a truly enormous impact on my life. While I already knew I liked biology, I discovered I loved CST. I did not know it was possible to feel so passionate about something you were studying until I took up my minor. Once I began studying CST, I knew that whatever I did with my life, it had to be something that allowed me to live out the principles of my minor. Additionally, my CST minor was like a breath of fresh air in the midst of my heavy science course load. It let me use a different part of my brain that I had no idea even existed.

Because of my CST minor, I decided to pursue medical school, which would provide the perfect balance of my interest in science and my strong desire to help other people. I wanted to serve others and be God's hands in this world. After doing a year of postgraduate service abroad in Guatemala, I will be starting medical school in the fall of 2015. This journey has been challenging at times but overall such an incredible adventure of a blessing. I simply cannot imagine what my life would be like now if I had not been exposed to and become involved with CST and theology during my time at Notre Dame.

I sincerely hope that by sharing some of my story the committee reviewing the Core Curriculum may be inspired to leave the theology requirements intact. They help students grow in ways they did not know were possible and awaken hidden passions. May God bless you in your work.

Laura Schaffer (Program of Liberal Studies)

I can't help being concerned about the potential removal of theology requirements from the Core Curriculum.  My ND theology requirements, one of which I took through PLS and the other through the department itself, are honestly among the most valuable courses of my college experience.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Professor Mongrain's Christian Theological Tradition changed my life, for it influenced my perspective on the world and its relationship to God.  It helped me to understand my faith as a love affair rather than a series of imposed (albeit correctly imposed) tenets, and it allowed me to appreciate the personal, intellectual and richly beautiful Faith in its paradoxical mystery.

Professor Johnson's Liturgical Theology class then built on this foundation by shedding new light on the Liturgical Year as a cycle through which we seek to express and pursue the mystical relationship between God and man, celebrating it in its past and future by a kind of incarnation in the liturgical present.  As a Catholic who had attended Mass my whole life, I came to realize, through this class, the beautiful complexity and the living fulness of the Faith in its concrete manifestations.

The value of ND's required theology courses cannot be overstated.  Had it not been for these requirements, I might easily have missed out on courses which deeply informed my understanding of what it means to be a human being truly alive in the world.

Lesley (Fuchs) Kirzeder (History)

Dear Dr. Burish (Provost):

I am deeply saddened and disturbed to learn that the University of Notre Dame is considering removing the Theology requirement from the undergraduate curriculum.  Not only would this immeasurably dilute the Catholic identity of the University, it would rob students of opportunities for formation in the Catholic faith and, even more importantly, of unexpected instances of transformation and evangelization. 

I was blessed to have been unexpectedly transformed in my own faith life while attending Notre Dame from 1999-2003.  Although I was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith, I was not brought up in an environment of formation.  Like so many, I came to Notre Dame unsure of who I was and who I was going to be.  So much of that uncertainty resided in the uncertainty of my own belief system and personal relationship with the Lord.  Eager to steep myself in academia, I streamed every course selection possible toward my passion, Russian History.  As a member of the inaugural class of the History Honors Track, I was able to hone my interests further with the invaluable opportunity for thesis work and deeper study of historiography.  I had no plans to further my faith formation through academic work.

Surprisingly, I found that my required Theology courses planted irrevocable seeds in my mind and heart that would not have been planted had I solely followed a curriculum geared strictly toward my academic interests.  These courses gave me a language with which I could think and talk about my faith.  They supplied me with the fundamentals that I had been missing and opened up a new way of seeking out a relationship to God: not one of Sunday obligations, but one in which God could come to be known, loved, and served through study, reading, and engaging in discussion with peers.  All of these routes to formation were revealed to me and realistic to me. They were familiar and accessible to a history major, who thrived on those very same methods of coming to know the past and the present world. 

My Theology courses provided the basic but necessary framework on which I could finally begin to build my faith.  Through the intentional work of my professors, I found myself more confident in my faith.  I had been freshly equipped with a guided path to our Church traditions, and I could approach the prayers, recitations, and readings in the liturgy with a deeper understanding.  I could uncover connections throughout the liturgy to the Holy Sacrament, which took on a whole new meaning for me.

The University of Notre Dame, as I have known it, has always seemed to oscillate in its core identity.  Is it a research institution? A teaching institution?  I could not answer that as a student, nor can I answer that as an alumna.  However, it is shocking to me that in recent years, I’ve had to ask myself if my beloved alma mater is a Catholic university.  Notre Dame’s Catholic identity has been increasingly overshadowed by the massive building and fundraising projects that seem to have allowed the physical expansion to overtake the core mission of the university.  I was encouraged when the Office of the Vice President of Mission Engagement and Church Affairs was bolstered with new advisors and, what seemed to be, a new zeal in exploring the relationship between Notre Dame and the Church.  Would this mean that Notre Dame was once again putting its Catholic Identity on the same plane as growing its already enormous endowment?  However, with this new movement to rid the undergraduate curriculum of its Theology requirement, I have to question the leadership’s commitment to the University’s mission in a grave way.

I implore you, Dr. Burish, to consider our founder Fr. Edward Sorin’s intent, Fr. Hesburgh’s lifetime of work, and the University’s Mission. I encourage you to reflect on the countless others who have had transformative faith experiences launched by their theology courses and how you will be robbing future students of that opportunity.  Your position holds much greater weight than its title and authority.  As a leader of this beloved Catholic institution you assume, in part, a responsibility for students’ souls.  You are one of the torchbearers of Fr. Sorin’s legacy, just as those who Archbishop Elder of Cincinnati so eloquently charged to carry on the founder’s good works at Fr. Sorin’s funeral:

Pray, then, my dearly beloved, pray for the souls even of those whose lives have been most saintly. We know not what hidden debt they may owe to divine justice. Pray particularly for your priests, for they have to render a rigorous account both of their own souls and of yours. They have to answer, not only for what they have done, but for what more they might have done by the diligent use of those divine powers which God has given them -- not for their own glory, but for the service of His people; and as God requires them to use their priestly powers for you, so He requires you to use your power of prayer for them.

As a leader, are your decisions helping students get to Heaven?  Of course, that is between you and God, and only you will have to answer for that at the end of your days.  I pray that your answer is easy to give.

Lorraine Armstrong (Physician, Alum, Mother of Students)

I cannot be quiet after hearing recent developments for the future curriculum at Notre Dame. When both of my children were looking at colleges I stayed out of their decision making process even though I was a graduate. They looked at a combined total of at least 27 colleges and universities. Although admitted at most of their choices, they withdrew applications from some, such as University of Pennsylvania...because of their strong secular emphasis and lack for respect for core values. With both of our children, when it came down to the difficult decision on the night before the required moment that they had to submit their choice, Notre Dame won. 

Notre Dame won over Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, and over the Naval Academy. I quietly celebrated because I recalled my amazing experiences at Notre Dame 35 years ago. I am now a physician but have no significant memories of my premedical courses...other than Dr. Hoffman's amazing methods of teaching. My life changing courses were in Theology and Philosophy. Father Malloy and Father Dunne were powerful beyond words. They and my other theology class work transformed my life. My husband, who attended an Ivy, had no such experience. When my children looked at the syllabus for theology at Georgetown, it seemed to almost treat religion as a problem, or simply an interesting topic, not a way of life. In talking to students there, and at the Academy, their faith life, study and practice of religion were definitely not a priority. They were on their own to try to find it. Notre Dame filled that gap.

So that is why my children are at Notre Dame. They received no scholarships, no merit awards, or in-state tuition that so many other place offered. It was very hard let hundreds of thousands of dollars of financial aid slip away. 

But how do you put a price tag on someone's soul? We can't. And we hope you won't either.

Please don't let Notre Dame be just another nondescript expensive school on that list of top schools. Don't take away the theology, and do not allow it to be taught by those who are not Theology faculty.

Michael Sena (Engineering, Theology, Philosophy)

To my Notre Dame Family:

What is more important than the love of God and the love of neighbor?  That is, what is more important than for me to love God and to love my neighbor?  And how can I love what I have not seen or known?

In the course of the present discussion about the core curriculum, I defer to others, my fellow classmates, alumni, and professors, who are certainly more talented and gifted than I am.  Still, I wish to share a few words.

When I originally came to campus my heart was set on studying engineering.  But by 2004 I had walked a different path and earned a degree in theology and philosophy; and in the spring of 2006, when I finally left South Bend for home, I was a proud double Domer with yet one more theology degree.  

Although at this point in my life I have come full circle, having returned to engineering and now pursuing a career at one of our national laboratories, I look back in gratitude and realize what I gift I received — and consequently have been blessed to share — through my study of God.  In fact, when I went back to school to study engineering (where I attended only public universities), I came to realize how blessed I was to be able to engage and pursue the field of theology, guided by remarkable men and women, before venturing elsewhere.

Being exposed to theology at Notre Dame not only changed the course of my life, it also had an effect on my family, friends, and community when I returned to New Mexico.  To be sure, it is impossible to say with certainty what my life would have been like, and where I'd be now, had I never taken a theology class.  But I firmly believe that those first courses in theology allowed something within me to come alive and grow.  Had it not been for those unique opportunities, I doubt that I would have ever encountered those wonderful professors who opened my eyes to the science of God and helped me come to a deeper appreciation of the inexhaustible gift of faith.  Though our time together was brief, what they shared has remained, and I now carry it with me.

To those of you who have been charged with reviewing the core curriculum — which, as I understand it, will likely entail weighing the value of theology courses and entertaining the possibility of either modifying the current requirement or eliminating it altogether — you have elicited strong feelings of dissatisfaction and anxiety, not to mention several questions:  What are the perceived pros and cons of these few mandatory theology courses?  What is it that you see from where you are?  What might the rest of us be missing?  What might you be missing?

With what appears to be a lack of transparency on your part, I am left wondering (and so perhaps others as well) what motivates this desire for ‘bold change’ and whether there is some larger agenda at play?  What can and will you do to help us understand what is on the table, and why?  What is the larger vision and in what direction are we headed?  Quo vadis?

If indeed you are working according to some agenda or directive, then I am doubtful that anything I write here will make a difference to a closed mind.  If, however, you are truly seeking to find the best path forward for an institution established on faith, then I hope you might consider the significance and immeasurable benefit that (even small doses of) theology has provided to those who have passed through the halls of ND.

I wonder: If theology were not part of the natural way of life at Notre Dame, would it be possible for a student to miss the opportunity to encounter the beauty of Catholicism?  I admit that I think this likelihood is vanishingly small.  Yet it is possible.  (Even today, as in Jesus’s own time, people turn away from the Son.)  Therefore, wouldn't you agree that it seems more sensible to do everything within our power to reduce this probability rather than maintain or even attempt to increase it?  What is the chance that others not as interested in theology as I was, might on their own also engage and come to appreciate the Church’s perspective on God and creation?  Again, it is possible that a student could discover this beauty by way of the myriad paths on campus, from the architecture and art to campus ministry, from the CSC (Center for Social Concerns) to the various Catholic witnesses within the community (i.e., rectors, professors, priests, brothers, housekeepers, groundskeepers, dining hall workers, other students, and more).  But why not go further and engage the mind of the student (starting, as theology uniquely does, from a position of faith) along with his or her heart?

There is absolutely no reason we should either settle with what we have been or give up something we have held precious for so long.  Instead, we should take advantage of our uniqueness as a Catholic university and be seeking additional ways to make the Catholic tradition accessible — precisely in the natural mode of the university, not in some incidental fashion — to each and every student in concentrated form, not diluted; and be looking outward at the world from within the heart of the Church, rather than looking at the Church from the outside, as is possible at any other university.  

There is and always will be an irreplaceable need for the Catholic university to light the way in a world that continually hungers and thirsts for God; to help each individual student connect with our intellectual tradition of faith — regardless if what is proposed falls on the well-trodden path, on rocky ground, amongst thorns, or on rich soil; and to be a powerful means for doing good in this country.  May Notre Dame always strive to be such a place and community.  Otherwise, to whom else will they go?

With all my heart, and on behalf of my family and friends, I urge you to cherish and further the authentic mission of the Catholic university.

In Notre Dame,

Michael Sena

Class of 2004 and 2006

Echo Faith Formation Leadership Program, Echo 1, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Proud student of professors J. Cavadini, Rev. J. Jenkins, Rev. E. “Monk” Malloy, and J. McGreevy, not to mention so many others

Kathleen Stanley (Chemical Engineering)

When I heard that the ND theology requirements were possibly going to be eliminated, I had to write in favor of keeping them on the board. While, or indeed because, theology is certainly not the flavor du jour of today's college students, it is in fact more valuable than ever before. 

I am a chemical engineering 2011 grad but value those theology classes as a cornerstone of my ND education. The Catholic church has been a forceful and formidable institution for over 2,000 years - a simple fact that students do not fully appreciate until they take these theology classes. Regardless of the facts that many global conflicts have ties to religion and that Judaism, Christianity and Islam all share the same roots, an awareness of Church history is crucial to understanding the world as it is today. The theology requirements make sure that each Notre Dame graduate takes that understanding out into the world. 

In addition, it allows a specialization into topics not covered in a secular university. My favorite class was on the Immaculate Conception, taught by Sister Ann, a woman so passionate about this that she fought for (and was granted) an entire course with which to teach and inspire us with the story of Bernadette of Lourdes. It also provoked countless intellectual theological conversations in the dorms, in class and at home. 

Please keep the theology requirements - they are part of what make the university so unique, and keep us well-informed to combat the less-than-accurate rhetoric often spouted about Catholics. Nowhere else but Notre Dame! 

Jason Kippenbrock (Biological Sciences, Med Student)

I am writing this letter in support of the undergraduate theology classes as part of the core curriculum, since I have heard that Notre Dame is considering eliminating one or both of the required courses.  This potential revision saddens me.  The two required theology courses that I took during my freshman and sophomore years have left a lasting impact on me, both academically and spiritually, and I do not want future undergraduates to miss out on this crucial part of the Notre Dame education.

Before coming to Notre Dame, I thought that I knew everything that I ever needed to know about being Catholic. My bloated confidence in my comprehension of Christianity was promptly deflated during the Foundations of Theology course I took in the fall of my freshman year. I realized that there was so much about my faith that I did not understand, or that I had taken for granted. The Foundations course challenged me and my faith, and it forced me to appreciate that theology, as a distinct academic discipline, is valuable. If nothing else, the Foundations course forced me to actually open up the Bible and read it. Honestly, without the Foundations course, I probably would have graduated from Notre Dame without even a basic understanding of how to read Scripture.

My second required theology course was also formative. We spent a majority of time each class in discussion, where each of us was able to express our own understanding of the theology topic on hand. The viewpoints held amongst my classmates were diverse, and it was amazing to be able to discuss our religious differences articulately and respectfully. Through it all, our professor was there to teach us how the Church has approached each issue and why. Once again, without my second required theology course, I probably would have graduated from Notre Dame without the capacity to articulately and respectfully share my Catholic faith with others.

I studied biological sciences at Notre Dame, and I am currently a first year medical student. I am in the throes of learning cardiovascular physiology, and I really do not have time to write a letter to the Provost of Notre Dame about changes to the core curriculum which will have no direct impact on my life. But I am writing this letter anyway. I am sacrificing my study time because I feel strongly that the theology requirements are an essential part the undergraduate education. When I think back on my time at Notre Dame, I do not think about the pathways I memorized for organic chemistry or the multitude of cell signaling molecules I encountered in my cell biology course. What I do remember is falling in love with theology, because through my theology classes (which turned into a second major), I became convinced that I wanted to be a physician. Studying theology helped me understand what it means to serve others out of love, not just obligation, in imitation of the Divine Physician. Studying theology is the reason that my future patients will have a truly compassionate doctor, and not someone who is just working for a paycheck.

I love Notre Dame dearly. I want to see her graduates succeed in every aspect of life and to be a great force for good in this country and the whole world. Please do not deprive her students of the gift of theology. Please do not deprive her students of the classes that will help to give meaning to their lives. Please do not attempt to educate the mind at the expense of the heart. If we do remove theology from the core of the curriculum, I fear that Notre Dame may lose its heart as well.

Kathy Krauss Zerda ('77, Biology/Microbiology)

My husband (Class of '75) and I (Class of '77) just heard today about the ongoing review of the curriculum for undergraduates.  Naturally, I had to investigate.  From my understanding, a lot of ideas are being discussed, and one of them is to reconsider the requirement for two theology and two philosophy courses in the curriculum.  I don't know if this is a serious consideration, or simply a discussion point being tossed about.  In either case, I would like to express my thoughts.

When I was at ND, I was a Biology/Microbiology major.  Science and math courses taught me discreet facts that were accepted, for the most part, as truth.  My experience with my required theology and philosophy courses was that they challenged me to ponder what I and others believe about this world and the world beyond.  

There are a lot of my college courses that I don't remember, but I do remember those theology and philosophy courses.  They taught me how to think about many things, including my view of God, how our Catholic traditions differs from other Christian traditions (one of my theology courses was team-taught by a Catholic priest and an Anglican priest) and also man's responsibility for the world we live in.  I read a number of excellent books, some of which I still have today.  Needless to say, I would not have chosen to read those books on my own, yet they made a lasting and positive impression on me.  If I consider how my education might have differed if I had been able to opt out of the hard work and discipline of thinking about difficult issues (something that my 18-22 year old self might have done), I can only conclude that my Notre Dame education would have been incomplete.  

My husband and I sent our eldest son to Notre Dame.  My Notre Dame roommates sent their children to Notre Dame.  Why do you think we did that?  

There are many universities to choose from, and most of them are significantly less expensive and closer to home than Notre Dame.  We sent our sons and daughters so they would benefit from the broadening that shaped us and would allow our young people to develop fully as thoughtful, faith-filled, productive and contributing adults.  There was no other reason, because many universities offer high quality major-specific courses.  Notre Dame provides that extra formation that is not required elsewhere.  As you consider all the options for curricular revisions (which is a process I greatly respect -- I recently retired as a university professor myself) please don't diminish what sets Our Lady's university apart from all the rest.

Eddie Guilbeau (Mechanical Engineer; Letter to Provost)

I earned my bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Notre Dame in 2011. Since 2012, I have been employed by [an industry leader] in heavy industrial manufacturing management. 

Even as a technical expert in an industrial setting, I still thumb through my notes on theodicy from Fr. Heintz's Foundations of Theology class when I am confronted by ugly truths of the human condition. 

I skim through my notes on Rerum Novarum from my theology and human rights class when I get up in arms about the injustices of our modern economy. 

The topics covered in theology are relevant, no matter one's religious background or professional path. Notre Dame's requirements for a broad liberal arts curriculum produce students who are more well-rounded and more humane in the workplace. This is a competitive advantage in my mind. Notre Dame alumni I have worked with are every bit as technically proficient as alumni of Georgia Tech, MIT, University of Michigan, Penn State, and Texas A&M. Notre Dame alumni are more effective in relating and building trust with their coworkers. I credit Notre Dame's core requirements for that difference. 

I am not aware of many universities that have similar requirements. In truth, there are many great universities and great engineering programs across the country and across the world. Notre Dame's catholic identity and commitment to a broad liberal arts curriculum, including theology, are what make our institution unique among those great universities. I do hope you will continue to support what makes Notre Dame special.

Carolyn Perez (American Studies, Letter to Provost)

Dear Dr. Burish [University Provost]:

I am currently a senior American Studies major at Notre Dame. I was recently nominated by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in my major to take part in a discussion about possible changes to the core curriculum with Dean Greg Crawford and Dean John McGreevy. I am writing to you because I am concerned about the University’s core curriculum review. It has come to my attention that there is a strong push to significantly reduce or even eliminate the requirement of two Theology courses for Notre Dame students.

Throughout my four years, I have been continually amazed by and grateful for Notre Dame’s distinctive Catholic community. I chose Notre Dame because it is the world’s premier Catholic University and I need not further explain the uniqueness and worldwide fame of Notre Dame. Removing, or even diminishing, the theology requirement for undergraduate students would severely undermine the University’s mission and would rob students—especially those who wouldn’t normally seek out theology classes—from an introduction to theology, Scripture, and the Catholic tradition on which Notre Dame prides itself.

The theology classes I took here at Notre Dame are incredibly valuable to me. Not only did they challenge me to think critically in a way that I was not used to, but they also instilled in me a genuine love for my Catholic faith, and a desire to continue to seek it out in other ways. As a result of these classes, I have engaged in conversations and participated in service projects and activities with my peers that have shaped me into the person I am today.

I strongly believe that if Notre Dame wants to have a core curriculum and simultaneously pride itself in being a Catholic University, theology classes must be part of its core curriculum for the very reasons the University articulated 10 years ago. If you do feel strongly that the theology requirement needs to be revised, I would encourage you to look at ways of modifying the current structure without taking away the number of mandatory classes. Professor John Cavadini’s “The Catholic Faith” could be a good course to look at and could even be considered as an alternative for the current foundational theology course.

I am confident that if you are really committed to maintaining the University’s Catholic mission, you will fight to keep the theology requirement as part of the core curriculum. Thank you for all of the work you do at Notre Dame, and for taking the time to read my letter. Please continue to listen to the voices of students like me who are proud of Notre Dame’s Catholic identity and who want to keep it alive in all aspects of student life.

Emily Lyons (Educator)

From the University's Mission Statement: 

"The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic academic community of higher learning, animated from its origins by the Congregation of Holy Cross. The University is dedicated to the pursuit and sharing of truth for its own sake. As a Catholic university, one of its distinctive goals is to provide a forum where, through free inquiry and open discussion, the various lines of Catholic thought may intersect with all the forms of knowledge found in the arts, sciences, professions, and every other area of human scholarship and creativity."

The intersection of Catholic thought and all knowledge can only happen when students are educated in Catholic thought in particular. American Catholics are woefully un- or under-educated in their faith. As America's premier Catholic university, I am asking that Notre Dame be a leader. 

As an ACE graduate, I strove to carry Notre Dame's mission of educating the whole person, mind, body, and spirit, to the classroom. I am blessed to still work in a Catholic high school after graduation. Even though I am no longer a Notre Dame student, I still consider myself an ambassador for the university. Every morning, I put my class ring on, ND logo facing outward, to remind myself to bring ND to the world. That includes the essential knowledge I learned in my theology classes. I do not think I could encourage my students to apply to my alma mater without the theology requirement. Notre Dame without a theology requirement is Catholic in name only, and I want my students to continue their education at an authentically Catholic school. Please, keep the theology requirement!

Jeffrey Gerlomes (London School of Economics)

I'll never forget the hour-long car ride that my father and I spent talking about faith, reason, and the pursuit of truth. For me, that conversation after my sophomore year at Notre Dame crystallized the meaning and importance of my entire undergraduate education.

The ideas that I was so privileged to study in theology (and philosophy) will probably never put clothes on my back or a roof over my head, but they are precisely the difference between another good education and one so great as to be irreplaceable. Our country's great colleges and universities are looking too much like glorified job-training centers these days, but Notre Dame remains a place committed to the notion that the Truth is just plain worth knowing.

Notre Dame's core curriculum and the whole structure for students' advising need plenty of work, to be sure, and I'm glad to see the curriculum review considering the pedagogical issues raised by Advanced Placement. For the work that they do in high school and the money that their parents pay, Notre Dame students ought to demand some real structure from their university. Theology, regardless of individual academic interests, is the indispensable foundation of that structure.

Theology, not fine art or social science touching on religious themes, is how we take all of the amazing and disparate things that we learn from Dante Alighieri and Stephen Hawking and Stanley Kubrick and find in them a unique vocation that leads us through life to that ultimate Truth.

In his memoir God, Country, Notre Dame Fr. Hesburgh writes with great pride about his work as university president to transform the "Religion" curriculum into a serious academic program in theology. Let's not go back to the 1950s.

Elizabeth Owers (Medical Student)

I graduated from Notre Dame in May 2014 with a major in Science Pre-professional Studies and a minor in Catholic Social Tradition. I am currently a student at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. Having followed the recent events regarding potential changes to the curriculum with great interest, I wanted to share my thoughts specifically on the importance of the theology requirement.

As a pre-medical student, there is a very good chance that I would not have taken a theology course until my senior year, if at all, had it not been required. Yet my freshman introduction to theology class, taught by Dr. James VanderKam, opened my eyes to how much I enjoyed the discipline and led me to take some sort of theology course every semester during my time at Notre Dame. These classes were as challenging as my science classes, if not more, because they required a degree of spiritual engagement in addition to the intellectual rigor I experienced through the rest of the curriculum.

At its best, science is beautiful. In detailing physical, chemical, and biological processes, it gives a glimpse into the mind of the Creator who ordered the natural world. At its worst, though, it leads the student to believe that reason alone can answer every question, that human intellect precludes the need for faith in a higher power. Including theology classes in a science curriculum actively works against this latter perspective and instead provides a lens and vocabulary through which to appreciate and articulate the amazing creative power of God.

As a future physician, I am confident that my theology background will have a significant impact on the compassion and quality of care I will provide for my patients. It would be a shame for Notre Dame to deprive future students of the same opportunities to study God’s love for us so that they too might share it with those they will serve.

Andrew Wieging

From my understanding, this debate over the Core Curriculum is less about fully abolishing the Theology requirement as it is than  of making it able to be fulfilled in different ways, namely by taking course related to "the Catholic intellectual tradition" with examples of courses on Renaissance art or Dante. I admit that this does seem like an interesting idea but I just can't reconcile it. I would think that the theology portion of those examples would be marginalized as just being a brief bit that must be covered in class. This would not necessarily be the fault of the professors, it would just be human nature. A professor who is teaching on Dante or art wants to teach about those subjects, not just theology. There are just too many facets to be covered in those courses to give theology its due. On top of that, the Theology Department already offers many classes with varying subjects to meet everyone's interest, either through direct THEO department classes or through the cross-listings they have approved. 

My first theology was one of my favorite classes in first year. I admit there were times when I didn't want to be there but that was probably because it was an 8:00 class. It taught me things that I had never learned through a life of Catholic schooling, although I will admit that I did know a decent amount of it. But whether you knew something going in wasn't really the point so much as being able to discuss the topics and, by discussing them, come to a newer and deeper appreciation of your faith. It's all about reforging yourself as a better person. Very few other departments let you do that, which makes theology (and philosophy) an absolute must. 

My second theology was all about the Greek Orthodox Church. An Orthodox priest, who was also a Notre Dame alumnus, taught the course in Athens. It was one of the most interesting classes I had, but I never would have taken it had I not needed to fill my requirement. This shows exactly why you need to maintain the two theology requirement. Without that requirement, a student is more likely to get caught up in their major. If that happens, they will miss some of the best and most thought-provoking courses offered by the university. Without these courses, Notre Dame loses a part of itself and fails to fully realize the goal of educating the whole person.

Joseph Grone

I am a proud alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, having received my BA in Theology in 2010 and my MA in Theology in 2012.  I care deeply for the University, and I am passionate about what the University can be.  However, I am concerned to hear that the Core Curriculum Review Committee would consider eliminating the Undergraduate Theology Requirement, especially when it is the stated goal of Notre Dame to "nurture the formation of the mind, body, and spirit."  Rather than being taken away, the presence of Theology in the Core must be enhanced.

The Mission Statement of the University of Notre Dame states, "As a Catholic university, one of its distinctive goals is to provide a forum where, through free inquiry and open discussion, the various lines of Catholic thought may intersect with all the forms of knowledge found in the arts, sciences, professions, and every other area of human scholarship and creativity."  If this is truly how we consider our mission, then we simply cannot afford to lose the one tangible tie to the "various lines of Catholic thought."  Where is the intersection of Catholic thought with the arts, sciences, and professions if there is no study of that Catholic thought in a detailed, comprehensive way?  Certainly, having studied catechetics and currently teaching in a Catholic high school, I recognize that Catholic thought can be integrated into other classes in a cross-curricular manner, providing a multi-faceted approach. Indeed, the Mission Statement does further acknowledge the need for this approach: "There is, however, a special obligation and opportunity, specifically as a Catholic university, to pursue the religious dimensions of all human learning." Yet if we don't contextualize these pursuits with deep, intentional consideration of the Catholic theological tradition, these steps become aimless, structures without a firm foundation.

There can be no true intersection between faith and reason if we abandon the application of reason to faith.

If Notre Dame can claim any impact on the world, I would argue that it is precisely because of the role Theology has played at the University.  There are plenty of schools that offer very effective instruction in business, science, engineering, the liberal arts, and so on, and many of them will seek to have an ethical framework for doing so.  However, this University claims to be Catholic, and this University claims that it is thus her responsibility to integrate that faith into every field of study, and so we do.  Bridges are built across disciplines in learning objectives and in conversation, but there is no greater bridge that can be built between theology and the other disciplines than to explicitly instruct students in both.  It's not only the prerogative of the University but the right of the students to experience a deep consideration of the Church's theology.  To require some subjects (Math, Science, Fine Arts, etc.) but not Theology is to inherently devalue Theology as a discipline, Theology's role in a Catholic education, and most of all the role Catholic theology plays at those intersections of faith and reason.  How can one take theological contributions seriously if it is not held on the same level as other 'serious' disciplines?

Speaking from personal experience, I simply would not be where I am today without the theological requirement at Notre Dame.  When I entered the University, I had a wide range of interests for my studies, even deciding that while I was interested in Theology, I would take on a major in anything but Theology.  It was my first year introductory Theology course with (then-doctoral candidate) John Perry that awakened a real passion in me and my second Theology course on Christian understandings of Sanctification with (then-doctoral candidate) Daria Lucas that helped me to see the depths that theology could go.  In every other class I took, I found myself actively considering the content more boldly and more rigorously through the eyes of faith.  Theology formed the focal point of the academic experience, where my knowledge and understanding could be placed around a solid center.  I will acknowledge that my case is by no means universal, but it demonstrates an important point: when the required courses in Theology are done well, it offers a truly holistic academic experience, one that upholds the Catholic humanistic notion that the individual only attains to perfection in the encounter with the divine.

And this, I believe, ought to be the true approach towards the theology requirement: enhance it. It is indeed my opinion that more classes should be added to the Theology requirement at Notre Dame, but at the very least, the classes that are present must be strengthened.  The unity of the curriculum would not merely be upheld, but rather elevated.  Increase the requirement, adjust the content, adjust the teaching rotation, but in no way should the Theology requirement be reduced or eliminated.

At the University of Notre Dame, the education in Catholic theology does hold and should continue to hold the place of utmost priority in the education of every student.  I beg you to uphold that prominence and not only retain the Undergraduate Theology Requirement, but to encourage measures to strengthen it.

Alison Quinn (Letter to Fr. Jenkins)

Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C.,

I’m writing to discuss the current review of the core curriculum that the University of Notre Dame is undergoing and the chance of the elimination of the two required theology courses.

I am an alumna of the class of 2014 and a current graduate student of the Department of Theology. I write this not as a theology student but as a student of Notre Dame. At the university, I was active in many places, most being outside of Campus Ministry or Theology.  I like to believe that I took full potential of my Notre Dame experience and I would like to thank your administration for making this possible.

I must take this time to remind you, Father Jenkins, of something you said in August 2010. I was a nervous freshman and left home for the first time. The final day of Frosh-O included, the class mass. Much like the Baccalaureate Mass this past May, the class of 2014 sat on the floor with our families and loved ones watching from above. In August 2010, you told our class that Notre Dame will provide us the opportunity for education. Though this seemed like an obvious statement, you went further on to explain the root of educate, to draw out. You told me and the rest of my class of scared freshman that Notre Dame will draw out of us our best selves if we allow it. Father Jenkins, you were right.

At Notre Dame, I became a person I was proud of. At Notre Dame, I learned from many experiences and mistakes. At Notre Dame, I was allowed to explore, grow, and form into the best person I could be. Father Jenkins, much of this is because of what you said. I fear for the day where the first and second theology requirements are not really theology department classes but “Catholic Studies”. I fear because when I took my first theology, I stubbornly fell in love. I was a freshman determined to study Pre-Professional Studies in the College of Arts and Letters. Yet, my professor, because he was in the department of theology, encouraged me to explore. He did this not because I succeeded in his class, but because he saw something in me that I was unwilling to see. Through the department of Theology, I was able to uncover my vocation, to realize where God was working in my life. Through the first two theology requirements, I realized more about my faith and my life so much so that I am continuing my studies.

I realize my story is not universal. I understand there are students at the university who are not Catholic or do not have the call to study theology. However, the two requirements of theology allow space for all of us to grow. It gives a base knowledge to the civil engineer and starts the beginning for someone like me. It exposes the entire community to theology. Simone Weil writes that it is in the pursuit of Truth that the world makes sense. Truth with a capital T, leads to the little t truths of the world. Theology exposes the entire student community to Truth, thereby allowing them to make sense of truths in other areas of study. Theology is our faith seeking understanding (St. Anslem), but it also allows understanding to seek faith.

The two required theology courses create the space for students such as me, who would have been too stubborn to take a real theology class, to finally listen. I had to take that first theology class, and I thank God for that. You told us that Notre Dame forms us into the best person we can be, it truly educates us. I agree and I would not be in the position I am in today without the theology requirements.

Notre Dame is a Catholic university, no one can argue with that. However, I worry we enter into dangerous territory when the university merely looks Catholic and does not integrate it into all areas including the core-curriculum.

Thank you, Father Jenkins, for taking the time to read this letter.

Alison Quinn
Class of 2014
Echo 11 - Parish Apprentice and Graduate Student of Theology
Diocese of St. Augustine

Beth Wloszek (Accounting)

It did not take me long into my college experience to realize that it was not quite like those with whom I had gone to high school. The ethos of developing not just mind, but body and spirit, became the main differentiation I found before my friends' education and my whole person experience. The theology requirement at Notre Dame is an important piece of this education.

I was not a theology major, but the few theology classes I took challenged me to think outside of my accounting major, to look at my faith and the world around me. It is an essential aspect of the Catholic identity that our University was founded on. I truly hope that you continue the excellence of educating and encouraging growth in mind, body and spirit, starting with that Theology 101 class.

Laura McCarty (Occupational Therapy)

I am a 2011 graduate of the University of Notre Dame. I majored in Theology and Psychology during my time there, and although Psychology was fascinating and valuable in its way, Theology held an additional benefit. It was a discipline of the whole person: as I liked to say, if studying Theology wasn't making you a better person, then there was something missing.

I am extremely grateful for the formation I received in my Theology major, which gave me a firm understanding of each person's inviolable dignity. I am currently in my last year of occupational therapy school, a discipline that values each person regardless of what their physical or cognitive abilities enable them to do in society. This perspective, although reinforced by my time in graduate school, was first planted in my heart by my Theology degree. I will always be very grateful for that. 

This is why I believe that removing the Theology requirements from the first-year curriculum would be a tragic disservice to the student body. Theology at Notre Dame is primarily Catholic in nature, but it is also a place for formation of consciences as well as fostering perspectives on the intrinsic value of humanity.

Please do not deny the nature and mission of Notre Dame by removing this requirement: it would be a step away from forming the compassionate and open-minded students that Notre Dame professes to send out into the world.

Michelle Mowry (Law and Social Work)

I am a 2014 alumna studying social work and law at Washington University in St. Louis. I studied Sociology and French at ND. I am writing this testimonial in response to the possibility of changing the core curriculum at ND.

Over the course of my time at ND, I took three theology courses, two that were required and one that prepared me to work for Notre Dame Vision. Since leaving ND in May, I have spent a significant amount of time thinking about what sets ND apart from other universities. What sets ND apart is the theology and philosophy requirements that educate students in ways that they need, though they may not be aware of this need.

I was one of the many ND students who came to ND believing that my faith was rock solid and that I didn't need any theology courses to bolster it. However, what my theology courses gave me was the recognition that my faith needed more nurturing than what I was currently giving it. The third and final theology course that I took radically changed my life, showing me that I was living for myself instead of for others. Taking this theology course and subsequently working at Notre Dame Vision led me to a career in social work and law, where I will spend the rest of my life giving myself in service to others.

I could have spent four years at Notre Dame studying what I wanted to study, but this wouldn't have led me to discern my vocation. What theology at ND gave me was what I needed, though I wasn't aware of it. It helped me--and is still helping me-- to genuinely discern my vocation.

I think back to these courses almost daily, reflecting on the lessons they taught me that guide my life in meaningful ways. ND doesn't just give students what they ask for. It gives them what they need. Its mission to educate students holistically requires that it continue to meet this need, and theology is an integral part of this holistic education.

This is what sets ND apart from other universities. An education at ND is not just a product to be consumed. It is an opportunity to draw closer to God, to family, and to friends, and theology makes this possible.

As someone for whom theology opened doors that I didn't even know existed, I humbly ask you to reconsider changing the core curriculum at ND and to continue to go beyond giving students what they want and give them what they need. Thank you.