Derek Wolf (Mechanical Engineer)

I graduated in the class of 2013 with a degree in mechanical engineering.  Had ND not had the theology requirement, I would have missed out on two of my favorite classes and professors in my time at Notre Dame. 

As a freshman, I took the required "Foundations" course taught by Peter Fritz (If you happen to read this, Thank You!). This class widened my understanding of my own faith and forced me to think critically about what I had always just accepted as truth. This is clearly a skill which is important in all disciplines and in life. 

During my senior year, I was again lucky to take Professor Gabe Reynold's "Islam's Challenge to Christianity" (Professor Reynold's, if you also happen to read this, Thank you!).  Again, without the requirement, there is no way I would have taken this course. It turned out to be my favorite non major course in my time at ND. I learned so much about my own faith as I also learned about Islam, a previously little known religion in my life. This understanding allows me to be better educated when looking at world events today. It has made me a better human being and global citizen which I think is the main purpose of a Notre Dame education. By better understanding Islam and it's similarities and differences with Christianity, I can have an informed, rational opinion when otherwise I may have made a fearful one as so many people in this world have done. I can understand why the events are happening right now, and thus have legitimate ideas on finding peace. I know how to find the common ground which we all can stand on, and thus work to create unity. These lessons can be taken to any situation in which people have differences.

Theology courses teach far more than just theology. They teach us to investigate the differences (theological, political, or any other difference) we have with others both as a way to better understand ourselves and to understand them. They provide examples of how to have a civil argument with people who's views seem so very contradictory from our own. They show the importance of knowing yourself before being able to fully engage others, and yet still maintaining the ability to constantly reevaluate and recreate yourself. Notre Dame develops leaders in this world, and these skills, which were developed in my theology courses, are critical to developing the leaders this world needs.

On a completely different note, the theology courses added to the community at ND. I met people who I would never have been friends with at ND. As with all my core requirements, it was great to meet people who were not 1) in my dorm and 2) in my major.  The community at ND is one major aspect that makes the school special, and without these courses, I would have known fewer people and my experience would have been lessened. 

The theology requirement for Notre Dame made me a better person, and I will be forever grateful.

Regan McGann (Science Pre-Professional)

Apologia Pro Theologia

I can still picture the study room where I was sitting in Pasquerilla West when it hit me.  While writing an essay for my Foundations of Theology class (taught by Matt Zyniewicz), I realized what the Eucharist was. (*Disclaimers galore: of course it’s a mystery that can never be fully grasped but I was given a great gift of insight about what God communicates with Holy Communion.)  That’s Jesus.  That’s His passion, cross, death, and resurrection made present every time.  For me.  For anyone.  Holy Lord God Almighty! I was floored.  I paused writing my essay to say: Thank you.  Eucharistia.

I grew up Catholic.  I went to a Catholic grade school and high school.  I was even heavily involved in my parish’s youth group.  But I had never been told to read Augustine, the Catechism or any Church documents really.  Thank God for my core Notre Dame theology classes; they gave me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge of God to better love and serve Him.

Jump ahead three years to the summer before my senior year: I was sitting around the dining room table of the St. Peter Claver Catholic Worker House here in South Bend (where I currently reside as a live-in staff member).  Sheila McCarthy, a Notre Dame Theology PhD student, was “practicing” her Foundations class on the summer volunteers before she taught in the Fall.  I was taking notes! I never take notes.  I had even theoretically taken this class already!  It was then I realized that I wanted to be learning theology and where better than Notre Dame?  I immediately bussed up to campus, switched my major from biology to pre-professional sciences, changed my class schedule and signed up for a full semester of five theology classes.  It was an incredibly blessed semester.  I took a total of eight theology classes that year and since I had taken my two requirements already, I graduated with a double major in pre-professional science and theology.

I took a picture under the “God is Love”-engraved doorway at Geddes in my graduation cap and gown.  “That’s the most important education,” I said to my family.  Nowadays, in daily Mass at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, I sit behind one of my former theology professors (Dr. David Fagerberg).  As we sit before the Blessed Sacrament, I recall how he had further enhanced my knowledge of God’s love in the Eucharist by explaining in class how we are re-membered to God as we “do this is memory of Me.”  I will always remember with gratitude all that my Notre Dame theology classes taught me.

Eucharistia.  Thanks be to God.

Jessica Peek (Anthropology)

One of the major draws of attending the University of Notre Dame was its commitment to a Catholic identity and the intellectual development of the heart, as well as the mind. I had always been interested in the study of theology, but I initially thought it would remain a personal and private pursuit in my life. God had other plans however. 

I took my Foundations course during the second semester of my freshmen year and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed being able to grapple with questions of my faith in class discussions and in the papers I was writing for the class. My instructor, Jim Lee, was a graduate student, who was approachable and open to talking about the class as well as any question I might have about Catholicism. 

Even though I loved the course, having entered as an anthropology major, I actively threw myself into these courses for the next year. I didn’t get around to taking my second theology class until the fall semester of my junior year. Looking at the classes available I realized I was interested in so many areas of theology that I took two theology classes that semester. I am so blest to have had the audacity to tackle a course called “God,” taught by one of the few professors who could actually get away with teaching a class of that title and come close to covering that material. Fr. Brian Daley opened my eyes to major theologians such as Gregory of Nazianzus, Bonaventure, von Balthasar, and C.S. Lewis. I devoured these books and wanted more. I joked about going to do my homework for "God." 

My other course that semester was equally fascinating. Co-taught by Candida Moss and Brad Gregory, “Dying to Live Forever: Martyrs” showed me that theology could be such fun to study, even about a topic as grim as death. It was clear that these professors believed what they taught, that despite all the tragic stories of gruesome deaths, the martyrs died knowing that they would be rewarded with eternal life. This class would have been so different if it had been taught in a religious studies department, where the personal convictions of the instructors would not play out as clearly. I wanted to hear more from these professors of faith, from people who believed what they taught and taught what they believed. And so I was converted to the theology major.

Theology, as "faith seeking understanding,” was an important component of Notre Dame’s curriculum in my academic career and in my personal life. I would not have looked at those theology course listings if it had not been for the theology requirements, and I may not have realized that God was calling me to a life of service for the church. 

I recently was invited to speak on a panel about “Careers in Theology” at a local Catholic university. Here I am, called to speak to college students about the importance of studying theology. This is a topic I would not be qualified to speak on or as passionate about if it had not been for the Notre Dame theology requirements influencing my vocation. I hope future Domers will be given the opportunity to be nudged by God to see how God is calling them to live a life of faith, whether that means a theology major or not.

Molly Daily (Political Science and Spanish)

My experience with theology at Notre Dame is quite typical. It isn't extraordinary, and it doesn't involve any major revelations or moments that turned my life around. That is precisely why it needs to be shared--because my story is the story of so many of my friends and my fellow students.

I grew up going to public school and honestly never learned much about my faith. In attending parish religious classes, I learned that God loved me and that I should pray every day. I learned that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that I should be a good person and I'd get into heaven. In short, I had no idea what it meant to be a Catholic, even though I thought I was doing a pretty good job. If theology courses weren't required at Notre Dame, I may have considered taking one or two. I probably would have chosen the easiest sounding course, or I would have put off taking a class for a few years because I didn't think there was anything I didn't already know about being a Catholic. After all, I was generally nice to people and I went to mass most weekends.

My first theology class was, in short, awful. It was hard. It was convoluted. Most of the time, it didn't make sense. I didn't like that it was taught by a graduate student and that I had no say in what kind of introductory course I would be taught. I didn't like that my friends had interesting, intellectual classes that taught them about what faith was like today. But still, I learned. I grew in my faith. For the first time, I put together the realization that faith is more than feelings and high ideas. I learned that theology means "faith seeking understanding," and I learned that understanding is vital to my faith. I discovered the historical relevance of scripture and I paid better attention to that history when I heard the readings in mass. I still did not understand the liturgy too well, and my limited knowledge of the faith led to quite a few misconceptions in my mind. But I was on the right track. I had learned the first few essential glimpses of the faith: that I had no idea what I was doing, that this was actually going to take some work, and that theology is not a flimsy lighthearted talk about ambiguous love, but a discipline just as vital and as difficult as my science courses.

The next semester I took a class named Called to Holiness (also taught by a graduate student). In this course, I learned what it meant to be a Catholic. I learned that I had a vocation, and that didn't mean that I had to be a nun or that my job was my vocation. I learned that I am meant to be a saint, and I learned what it means to be a saint. I was encouraged for the first time in my life to try out silent prayer. I studied the scriptures with a keen eye for detail, and I heard the words "Catechism of the Catholic Church" for the first (but certainly not the last) time. This course was so brilliant and so helpful to me as a Catholic that I decided to minor in Theology so that I could continue to learn about my faith. These courses set me on a path without which I don't know where I would be today. My faith today is a product of my theology courses. I am at a place--intellectually, spiritually, and otherwise--that I could not be without these courses.They taught me the truth of my faith. I am eternally grateful that I was required to take those two courses.

The notion of getting rid of theology courses or having non-theology scholars teach principles of theology in their courses is absurd. Theology is an art. It is an intellectual, vigorous way of life. It isn't simply something that can be condensed into a humanities course or mentioned in the context of a science class. 

Theology is a discipline. Even my poorly taught, difficult theology class was better than not taking any courses at all. These requirements were far from a burden. They have shaped my life. They gave me a better understanding of my own faith. They inspired me to share my faith with others in a way that actually taught them truth, rather than making things up. They gave my non-Catholic friends the vocabulary with which to discuss the faith. They taught me about other faiths and how I can interact with them. 

Theology is a vital study in any University, but it is absolutely essential to the mission of Notre Dame. My dear friends, how can we say we are educating the mind and the heart if we don't help students understand their heart's deepest desire? How can we remain a Catholic university if we do not adhere to this simple principle of teaching Catholic faith? Theology requirements do, in my opinion, need to be changed. They need to be strengthened, so messes like my first theology course don't happen. First or introductory theology courses should be strengthened and streamlined, so that each student has the same opportunity to understand his or her faith. Courses should be intellectually vigorous but sensitive to the needs of freshmen. Graduate students must be better supported and guided in their teachings of freshmen by our great professors. Courses that embrace diversity and teach the various aspects of the faith in respect to other faiths should be expanded and encouraged.

Notre Dame has so much to offer its students. The theology department has arguably the most to offer. It has brilliant minds--from liturgical theologians like Professor Tim O'Malley to great leaders in the field like Professor John Cavadini. Through these brilliant minds, though, the department offers something no other department can--the ability to change one's heart. When a freshman enters DeBartolo Hall, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to embrace her, to show her what she has been longing to hear her whole life. If we want to be taken seriously as a Catholic university in the twenty first century, she needs us to take her by the hand and guide her into a theology course. 

Please do not deny others the privilege that I received as a freshman. Require at least two theology courses for all majors. Teach us to pray, to love, and to live.

Analise (Lipari) Bower

I am '09 and '11 (M.Ed.) alum, and I can't emphasize enough how much the theology curriculum and requirements at Notre Dame influenced my life.

In the spring of 2006, I stepped foot into my first theology course at ND. The professor was a graduate student from the Philippines, Ray Aguas, and I had read that his Intro course focused on something called "liberation theology." At the time, I considered myself fairly moderate in terms of politics, faith, and most other things in life (except exercise. Forget that nonsense. College was for class, football, sleeping, and unlimited dining hall refills of tater tots), and I was nervous about Ray's class. Would he try to persuade or dissuade me re: something I held as (an albeit "moderate") core belief? What was the deal? Still, I bought my textbooks (including, most notably, Jesus Before Christianity and On Job) and showed up 10 minutes early (another area where I believed there was no room for moderation -- punctuality).

In short, that class -- and Ray's influence -- transformed me. I consider that class the first of a series of stones that changed the course of the river that was, and is, my life. Ray taught me to question what I knew; to see Christianity as infinitely more than "Do good. Be nice." Instead, Christianity became an electric force of social justice, the radical means by which the Kingdom in all of its glory and majesty could be brought forth. The Kingdom wasn't just reunion with God in Heaven. The Kingdom was NOW.

Wow.

Given this new lens on life, God, my faith, and myself, the next year I pursued a course on faith and justice taught by a professor who resided at the South Bend Catholic Worker house. That class was my first exposure to Dorothy Day; reading The Long Loneliness struck a deep core within me, and to this day I strive to live according to her example as a living saint (though, as she most famously said, she wouldn't be 'resigned' to that title).

Inspired by both courses, I was a Notre Dame Vision mentor-in-faith in the summer of 2007. If my first theology courses transformed me, being a Vision mentor transfigured me and everything around me through the Holy Spirit. I am still friends with my fellow mentors, and I still feel inspired by the call to see others in the Eucharist. The Body of Christ; amen.

I could go on and on about my faith-based experiences at Notre Dame -- interning with a low-income parish in the East End of London during my semester abroad; leading retreats through campus ministry; worshiping at dorm masses; joining a women's discernment group senior year; teaching after graduation through the Alliance for Catholic Education -- but this email would be about 80 paragraphs long. Suffice to say, without stepping into that first theology class, there's no way I would be living my life as I try to live it to this day. I have taught since 2011 at a Jesuit school for boys in Washington, DC that serves students from low-income backgrounds for 0 tuition. My faith is the lifeblood of my work; just trying to bring about the Kingdom, one day at a time.

And if it hadn't been a requirement? Who knows if I would have found Ray and liberation theology? Who knows if I would have learned about faith and justice as an adult? Who knows if I'd still be practicing?

Who knows if I would have simply kept living my life in moderation?

Don't be moderate, Notre Dame. Be different. Keep theology in the core requirements. The ripple effect is beyond anything I could have imagined. Let no one say we dreamt too small.

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.

Sami Burr

I came into my undergrad years not really sure what I wanted to study. I started in Engineering, but quickly discovered that wasn't a good fit. The program was incredible but I just wasn't able to develop and share my own personal talents. 

My Foundations of Theology course, taught impeccably well by a doctoral student, settled the question. I was good at Theology, I was being challenged in exciting ways in Theology, and I discovered that the world needs theologians. 

It was in my second theology course, where an incredible cross section of engineers, scientists, business students and arts and letters majors came together, that I realized the world needs a better understanding of theology in all areas of life. If we are truly going to live as Catholics, as Christians, we need to understand who Jesus was and what he reveals about God to us. We need to understand what the Church is and how it carries on the mission of Christ. We need to understand what are own personal vocation is, and how each of us has a unique call to grow closer to the Lord and help others grow closer as well. 

Not everyone will be a theology major, but at a Catholic university, students should leave with the understanding that theology is a serious study that merits some consideration by all of us, because we are all called to grow closer to God. 

Jamie Towey (Arabic and Chinese)

I had Jordan Wales (doctoral candidate) as my freshman year Foundations teacher. He was an outstanding teacher and I thoroughly enjoyed the class. Not only did I enjoy the class itself, but I also learned a lot about my Catholic faith and how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament. 

Please, please don't take away a Theology requirement.