Syllabus

'I

SYLLABUS

XTIANTHE 318 Nature and Grace

Welcome to this graduate seminar course!

Fall semester 2011 Instructor: Prof. Reinhard MutterWednesday 2:30-5:00pmRoom 042L

Statement of Goals

This course attends to one of the most fundamental and central issues of Christian theology inthe Western tradition, substantive as well as methodological. Students will (1) encounterseminal theological texts that are indispensable to an advanced theological education;(2) be introduced to an important theological topic and problematic that pertains to first ordertheological discourse (theological anthropology; doctrine of sin; doctrine of grace) as well as tosecond-order theological discourse (relationship between theology and philosophy etc.);(3) learn how to think theologically with the help of philosophical conceptualities;(4) understand the subtle mutations of central concepts and their impact on other relatedconcepts.

By attending to the use of the correlative pair of terms "nature and grace" and "nature and thesupernatural," the systematic difference between both pairs, and their emergence at differentperiods of theological reflection this seminar-course intends to examine a central aspect of the"genetic code" of Christian theology, pertaining to the first pair, arguably from Irenaeus on, butindisputably from Augustine on, and pertaining to the second pair arguably from ThomasAquinas on. As Henri de Lubac states in his Brief Catechism on Nature and Grace: "The ideaof the supernatural is as essential to Christianity as, for instance, the ideas of creation,revelation, the Church or sacraments. Hence it can be stated that it is present everywhere, notonly in the whole subsequent tradition, but from the very beginning. William Bousset, in theearly years of this century, wrote: 'Irenaeus had already set up that complicated system ofnature and grace, that reciprocity between evolution and the supernatural, which was to prevailfor so long a time in the history of the Church.' . . . Indeed, we need to go back farther still.Scripture bears witness everywhere to the idea of the supernatural" (9f). This seminar willintroduce students to some of the classical texts in the Latin Christian tradition as well as intonumerous profound theological controversies over "nature and grace" from the 16th to the 20th

century, traceable in Catholic as well as Protestant theology. The seminar wil l follow thetransmutations of the term "nature" as well as examine the relationship between the"supernatural" and "grace" in various theologies. Knowledge of these texts and controversies isan indispensable precondition for students to appreciate as well as assess contemporarytransmutations of these correlative terms in recent strands of Catholic and Protestant theology.

Work to be required in the seminar by regular participants:• Attendance is required for all sessions• Intensive preparation by closely studying both the primary sources and the secondary texts• Active participation in the class discussion• Co-responsibility for one session of the seminar

Work expected from auditors:• Attendance is required for all sessions• Reading of all required primary and secondary texts

H

Seminar Presentation:Each student is co-responsible for one session hy (1) introducing the material, (2)reconstructing the argument advanced in the reading, (3) identifying particular points fordiscussion, and (4) being prepared to be a substantive participant in the discussion.A substantive draft of the presentation (even better^tJ^final version of the presentation)is to be turned in to the instructor no later than Muiuroysmorning 9:00am. If it is notturned in on time, the grade will be affected. The paper is to be e-mailed as a Word.docfile attachment to [email protected]. Sufficient copies for all students are to bebrought to the seminar session. The presentation is not to exceed four single spaced pages.When there are two presentations per session, each presentation is not to exceed threesingle spaced pages.

Papers:PhD and ThD students:Research paper: 25 page research paper in which the student deepens and expands the topic ofthe presentation (in ways to be discussed with the instructor) or writes on a separate topic (to bediscussed with the instructor). Deadline for final paper: Monday, December 12 at 9:00amThMstudents:Research paper: 20 page research paper in which the student deepens and expands the topic ofthe presentation (in ways to be discussed with the instructor) or writes on a separate topic (to bediscussed with the instructor). Deadline for final paper: Monday, December 12 at 9:00amMDiv/MTS students:Research paper: 15-18 page research paper in which the student deepens and expands the topicof the presentation (in ways to be discussed with the instructor). Deadline for final paper:Monday, December 12 at 9:00am (no incomplete possible)

Final papers may NOT be submitted in electronic form as e-mail attachments. ONLYhard copies will be accepted. They shall be deposited under my office door or in thefaculty mailbox in the mailroom.

Grading Standards:

The quality of the research paper will play the greatest role in determining the final grade. Thepresentation will be taken into consideration should the grade for the research paper beborderline. Failure to attend class and to participate actively in the sessions may negativelyaffect the student's final grade.

House-keeping Matters:

1. All students are expected to be present for each session of the seminar. In case of illness, pleaseleave a voice mail before class session at 919-660-3463.

2. All cell phones are to be turned off before entering the classroom and are to be kept out of sight.3. No food or drink during the class session.4. No sports caps or other headwear are to be worn during the class session.5. In order to allow for maximum concentration and quietude during the seminar session, every

seminar participant is asked to work with paper and pen/pencil during class (and to leave her orhis laptop in its case, out of sight). Every person is expected to have the primary literature infront of them during each class session; hence, there will be no extra room for laptops. Myexperience in recent years has been that the increasing presence of laptops in the seminar roomundercuts genuine and concentrated discussion, introduces unwelcome distraction in the form ofillicit internet-use during, and creates, last but not least, a most unwelcome noise.

Bibliography

Aquinas, Thomas, O.P., Summa Theologiae (selections). The translation used in classfor these selections is the one done by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province(Westminster: Christian Classics, 1981). An earlier three-volume edition of this work ison reserve. You may copy the material from the reserve edition or download it fromhttp://www.op.org/summa/letter/summa.pdfSaint Augustine, Four Anti-Pelagian Writings (The Fathers of the Church vol. 86)

(Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1992)Balthasar, Hans Urs von, The Theology of Karl Earth: Exposition and Interpretation,

trans. Edward T. Oakes (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1992)Brunner, Emil and Karl Earth, Natural Theology, comprising "Nature and Grace " by

Emil Brunner and the reply "No!" by Karl Earth, trans, by Peter Fraenkel(London: Centenary Press, 1946)

Cessario, Romanus, O.P., The Moral Virtues and Theological Ethics (Notre Dame, IN:University of Notre Dame Press, 1991) (selections) (on blackboard)

Emery, Gilles, O.P., "The Unity of Man, Body and Soul, in St. Thomas Aquinas," inidem, Trinity, Church, and the Human Person: Thomistic Essays (Naples, FL:Sapientia Press, 2007), 209-235. (on blackboard)

Journet, Charles, The Meaning of Grace (New York: P.J. Kenedy, 1960)Long, Steven A., "A Criticism of Nature as a Vacuole for Grace," in idem, Natura

Pura: On the Recovery of Nature in the Doctrine of Grace (New York: FordhamUniversity Press, 2010), 52-109; 245-250

Lubac, Henri de, S.J., "The Mystery of the Supernatural," (from Theology in History)(on blackboard)

Luther, Martin Heidelberg Disputation (from the Luthers 's Works edition) (onblackboard)

Mansini, Guy, O.S.B., "The Abiding Theological Significance of Henri de Lubac'sSurnaturel," in The Thomist 73 (2009), 593-619

Pinckaers, Servais, O.P., "Aquinas on Nature and the Supernatural," in idem, ThePinckaers Reader: Renewing Thomistic Moral Theology, ed. John Berkman andCraig Steven Titus (Washington, D.C.; Catholic University of America Press,2005), 359-368. (on blackboard)

Rahner, Karl, S.J., "Concerning the Relationship between Nature and Grace," in idem,Theological Investigations, vol. 1 (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1961),297-317. (on blackboard)

, "Nature and Grace," in idem, Theological Investigations, vol. 4 (London:Darton, Longman & Todd, 1966), pp. 165-188. (on blackboard)

Scheeben, Matthias, Nature and Grace (1861), translated by Cyril Vollert (St. Louis:Herder, 1954)

Tanner, Kathryn, Christ the Key (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).Torrell, J.-P., O.P., "Nature and Grace in Thomas Aquinas," in Surnaturel, ed. Serge-

Thomas Bonino, O.P. (Naples, FL: Sapientia Press, forthcoming 2009). (onblackboard)

White, Thomas Joseph, O.P., "The 'Pure Nature' of Christology: Human Nature andGaudium et Spes 22" in Nova et Vetera 8 (2010), 283-322 (on blackboard)

Schedule.

Aug 31 Introduction

By Way of Introduction: A Classical 19th Century Account of "Nature and Grace "

Sep 7 Matthias Joseph Scheeben, Nature and Grace, pp. 1-149Presentation 1 (Introd., chapters I-IV):Presentation 2 (chapters V-VIII):

Sepl4 Matthias Joseph Scheeben, Nature and Grace, pp. 150-347Presentation 1 (chapters IX-XII):Presentation 2: (chapters XIII-XV, Epilogue): tV^g

"Nature and Grace " in A ugustine

Sep 21 The Honing of the "Nature and Grace " Conceptuality in Augustine'sStruggle against Pelagianism

Augustine, On Nature and Grace ;

Presentation:

Sep 28 The Refinement of the "Nature and Grace " Conceptuality in Augustine'sDispute with the later so-called "Semi-Pelagians "

Augustine, On the Predestination of the SaintsPresentation:

Augustine, On the Gift of PerseverancePresentation :

A Surpassing but Delicate Synthesis: Nature and the Supernatural in Thomas Aquinas'Summa Theologiae

Oct5 Human Nature

Aquinas, Summa theologiae I, qq. 75, 76, 79, 82, 83Presentation 1:

Aquinas, Summa theologiae, I, qq. 93, 94, 95Presentation 2:

Required Background reading:Emery, "The Unity of Man, Body and Soul, in St. Thomas Aquinas"Torrell, "Nature and Grace in Thomas Aquinas"Pinckaers, Servais, O.P., "Aquinas on Nature and the Supernatural"

(Students for whom this is the first textual encounter with Thomas'sSumma should read Emery, Torrell, and Pinckaers before they turnto the required readings from the Summa theologiae.}

_

Oct 12 Fall Reading PeriodBegin reading for Oct 19 and Oct 26 sessions;Read: Journet, The Meaning of Grace

Oct 19 Human Flourishing: Natural and Supernatural

Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II, 55-61Presentation:

Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II, qq. 62-67Presentation:

Required Background reading:Cessario, The Moral Virtues and Theological Ethics, 34-71(Students for whom this is the first textual encounter with Thomas'sSumma should read Cessario before they turn to the requiredreadings from the Summa theologiae.)

Oct 26 A New Creation: Aquinas' Ontology of Grace

Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II 106, 109, 110Presentation:

Aquinas, ST I-II, 111-113Presentation:

Required Background reading:Journet, The Meaning of Grace(Students for whom this is the first textual encounter with Thomas'sSumma should read Journet before they turn to the requiredreadings from the Summa theologiae.)

Modern Departures from the Synthesis of "Nature and the Supernatural"

Nov 2 The Protestant Reformation:

The Total Corruption of Nature—Grace Supplanting Nature?Luther, Heidelberg DisputationPresentation:

A Modern Protestant Postscript: The Debate between Brunner and EarthEmil Brunner & Karl Barth, Natural TheologyPresentation:

Recommended Background reading on Barth:Balthasar, The Theology of Karl Barth, 59-167

Nov 9 Barth DevelopedYale-wards: A Christ-Centered Account of Humanityfrom Creation to Salvation

Kathryn Tanner, Christ the Key (chapters 1-3 required in-depth reading;chapters 4-7 cursory reading)

Presentation 1 (chapter 1):

Presentation 2 (chapters 2+3):

The 20' Century Catholic Debate about "Nature and Grace"

Nov 16Lubac, "The Mystery of the Supernatural"Presentation:

Rahner, "Concerning the Relationship between Naftire and Grace"Rahner, "Nature and Grace"Presentation:

Nov 23 Thanksgiving Break (no session)Read:Balthasar, The Theology of Karl Earth, pp. 251-378Long, "A Criticism of Nature as Vacuolefhr Grace"

/WritlFa refl^cTiorTpaper (2 pages single spaced; regular font) about theBaJthasar/Long controversy and send it as e-mail attachment by 9:00am onNov. 30)to rhuetterdiv.duke.edu.

Nov 30^^__

&udium-et~$pes~22: WfiyTubac Still Matters and Why "Nature " MustMore Than a "Remainder " Concept

Mansini, "The Abiding Theological Significance of Henri de Lubac'sSurnaturerWhite, "The 'Pure Nature" of Christology: Human Nature and Gaudiumet Spes 22"Presentation:

Monday, Dec 12, 9:00am Deadline for final paper

Final papers may NOT be submitted in electronic form as e-mail attachments.ONLY hard copies will be accepted. They shall be deposited under my office dooror in the faculty mailbox in the mailroom.