OUR MISSION

To provide students with the opportunity to explore the universal dimensions of religion and to study the Catholic Christian faith as a particular world view relevant to contemporary society. 

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

1. Update their understanding and knowledge of Catholic Theology and practice since Vatican II.
   
2. Prepare for volunteer positions in all ministerial programs including C.C.D., youth ministry, peer support, sacramental preparation, and the R.C.I.A.
   
3. Prepare for professional ministerial positions in Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry in a variety of settings.
   
4. Certificate students can apply the 24 credits toward a baccalaureate degree in Religious Studies or a second undergraduate degree in Religious Studies.
   
5. Fulfill prerequisites in Theology/Religious Studies for entrance into graduate programs.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Degree students apply through the Admissions Office.
   
2. Certificate Program Students register through Religious Studies Certificate Coordinator.
   
3. Students must maintain a grade of C or better in all courses.
   
4. Students may start in the fall, spring, or summer semester.
   
5. Majors take the seven required courses plus three electives. Religious Studies Certificate students take the seven required courses plus one elective.

Credits from another institution are not transferable into the Certificate Program.

REQUIRED COURSES

This is an introduction to the study of the Hebrew Scriptures as a record of God’s dealing with the people of Israel. Through the study of historical, literary and theological elements of the biblical text, students will enrich their understanding of individual books and the way in which the Old Testament came to be written. This course combines the latest scholarship with a sensitivity to religious issues.

This is an introduction to the study of the Christian Scriptures. It will familiarize the student with the general content of the New Testament. It traces the origin of these writings in the early Christian community and shows the relevance of the good news for our own times.

This course deals with the fundamental principles of Christian moral teaching as developed from Scripture, the tradition of the church, and human experience. It explores selected moral issues such as formation of conscience, personal freedom and law, suicide, euthanasia, and abortion.

This course is an up-to-date scriptural investigation of the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith. It will examine the Jewish Tradition and the development of different understandings of Christ as expressed in Catholic tradition.

This course will investigate in what context Jesus began, and his followers continue, to celebrate rituals called sacraments. Included will be the origin, historical developments and underlying theologies of each of the seven sacraments.

The aim of this course is to learn about the religious diversity of the world and to develop attitudes of understanding and respect for practices and beliefs of others. Ecumenism between Roman Catholicism and the major world religions will be explored. The course will be taught with an emphasis on inquiry strategies and will be process and content oriented.

This course explains the religious dimensions of life as essential components of psychological health. Topics will include human, religious, moral and spiritual development, images of God, religious experience, and theological assumptions about key life issues.

ELECTIVE COURSES

This course is an overview of the doctrines, rituals and traditions of the Catholic Church. It will include the evolution of the Catholic Church’s Biblical, patristic, historical, liturgical, and theological heritage.

This course will examine the life, times, and values of Francis and Clare of Assisi. It will explore the historical expression of Franciscan values as well as their usefulness in interpreting and challenging contemporary society.

This course will explore the Roman Catholic vision of marriage as a journey of two equal partners. Included will be the Christian view of mutuality, spousal responsibilities, marital love and sexuality, the evolution of sacramental marriage through the ages and marriage as a model for the Christian family.

This course is designed to investigate the Nazi era and the Holocaust as a prime example of racial prejudice. The History is viewed from a variety of perspectives with an emphasis on theological implications. Questions considered will include: how religious ideas produced justification for and complicity with Nazi policies, how religion helped some victims cope, and the impact of post-Holocaust theory on Jewish and Christian religions understanding and tradition.

This is an exploration of the themes of prayer, reflection and meditation in the life of a Christian. Drawing on Scripture as well as practices of both Eastern and Western traditions, students are introduced to the various forms of prayer.

An investigation into the process and reality of human death including: the psychology of death and bereavement, types of death, cultural attitudes toward death (especially as manifested in funeral customs of various societies), concepts and evidence of afterlife, etc. There shall be a focus on how these aspects relate to and are understood within the major religious traditions of both East and West with special attention to the Roman Catholic tradition.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, WRITE OR CALL:

FELICIAN COLLEGE
Religious Studies Department
262 South Main Street
Lodi, New Jersey 07644

Admissions: 201-559-6131

Religious Studies Certificate Coordinator: 201-559-6081

Scholarships are available through the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Metuchen.  Tuition discounts are available for those engaged in ministry, clergy, and religious.