The CSBFL participates in ministerial and professional formation by offering Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy degree concentrations in the Study of Black Faith and Life. All degree candidates are required to take TEC 390- Introduction to the Study of Black Faith and Life. The number of electives required to fulfill the concentration requirements are determined by degree program.

As a CSBFL candidate, you are free to negotiate topic foci for work to be submitted when taking core courses, but such negotiations will not constitute fulfillment of the number of elective courses required for a degree concentration in the Study of Black Faith and Life. In addition to the courses offered at CTS, a candidate may work toward the fulfillment of elective requirements by taking ACTS courses pre-approved by the CSBFL director.

Concentration Requirements

To earn a concentration in the Study of Black Faith and Life, degree candidates have the following requirements:

• M.Div.: Introduction to the Study of Black Faith and Life (required) and seven (7) CSBFL electives.
• STM: Introduction to the Study of Black Faith and Life (required) and three (3) CSBFL electives.
• Ph.D.: Introduction to the Study of Black Faith and Life (required) and an approved Program of Study.
• Certificate in Theological Studies: Introduction to the Study of Black Faith and Life (required) and four (4) CSBFL electives.

Affiliated Faculty

Affiliated Faculty of the CSBFL are scholars with expertise in the full range of religious studies and theological disciplines and have a fundamental commitment to research and reflection upon all aspects of African and African American life. They support the Mission, Vision, and Commitment Statements of the CSBFL, which is dedicated to nurturing and mentoring a new generation of activists who will engage in ministries of liberation and justice. They are available to consult with and offer thesis direction to Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy students who are committed to earning a degree with a concentration in Black Faith and Life. On occasion, a CSBFL Affiliated Faculty may be invited by Chicago Theological Seminary to guest lecture, teach a course as an Adjunct Faculty, write and evaluate a comprehensive exam, and/or examine a Ph.D. dissertation.

Electives

Church History
CH 480 - Martin, Malcolm, and Civil Religion
Julia Speller
This course will explore the structures and parameters of civil religion in America by studying responses to its presence and influence found in the speeches, articles and addresses of significant Americans.

CH 481 - African American Religious History
Julia Speller
This course will survey the history and development of the variety of religious experiences of African Americans from 17th to 21st centuries.

Theology, Ethics, and Culture
TEC 306 - African American Religion, Theology, and Spirituality
Lee Butler
Course will explore the religious beliefs of African Americans, with attention on the spirit of accommodation that has inspired works of freedom and justice. Topics: retention of African religions and symbols, the Black Church, nationalism, and Africentrism.

TEC 413 - The Theology of the Body
Theodore Jennings or JoAnne Terrell
How has Christianity come to be associated with the denigration of the body? What are resources in tradition for a theological re- appropriation and celebration of the body?

TEC 415 - Feminist Theologies in Multicultural Context
Laurel Schneider
Intro to norms, historical developments, challenges of tradition, social location, white privilege, experience, ideas of divinity, post- Christian and post-colonial critiques in contemporary feminist theology. Emphasizes critical evaluation/theological construction.

TEC 416 - Feminist/Womanist Theory and Hermeneutics (HS 516)
Laurel Schneider
We will examine some feminist and womanist strategies for understanding and thinking critically about intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class with an eye toward their impact on ministry, social action, and public theology.

TEC 437 - Psychology of the Oppressed and Liberation Theologies (HS 537) Lee Butler Course will consider the experiences of race, class, and gender oppression. Phenomenological positions will be critiqued psychologically to understand liberative theological motivations. Works from Latin American, womanist, feminist, and black theology.

TEC 486 - The Black Church & the Nation of Islam
JoAnne Terrell
Analyzes love and rage as rhetorical theological imperatives as responses of the church and the Nation of Islam to systemic racism and political disfranchisement of African Americans. Examines the role of women in each institution.

TEC 495 - Dialogue Among Religions 
Bo Myung Seo 
The course will investigate the possibility of interreligious dialogues and their practical consequences.

TEC 504 - Augustine, Niebuhr, & Malcolm X
JoAnne Terrell
We will review the ideas of these three highly influential thinkers about the nature of sin in human existence and those qualities of human beings requiring redemption, giving special attention to the theme of sin as pride and sensuality.

TEC 510 - Womanist and Feminist Christologies
JoAnne Terrell
A seminar examining servanthood vs. surrogacy, the Black Christ and the historical Jesus Christ and Christa and atonement and abuse.

TEC 540 - Theology and Cultural Analysis (HS 540)
Bo Myung Seo
The course will first examine different theologies of culture in terms of how they see the relation between theology and culture and then examine different ways of reading the contemporary Western culture theologically.

TEC 570 - Ritual, Sacred Space and Healing (HS 570)
Robert Moore
An examination of the role of ritual leadership in healing. Both religion and psychotherapy will be examined. Victor Turner's work will be considered.

TEC 580 - The (De)construction of Homophobia
Theodore Jennings
A critical history of the construction of homophobia within Christendom and an analysis of concomitant deformations in doctrine and church life lays the foundation for counter- homophobic practice.

TEC 591 - Approaching Islam Laurel Schneider This seminar will provide an introduction to another Islam through selective study of sacred texts and theologies in order to build understanding as a basis for interreligious dialogue.

Christian Ministry
CM 307 - Africentric Christian Education
Julia Speller
This course will explore the historical, theological, biblical and pedagogical foundations of Africentric Christian education and the implications they have on ministry in African American congregations.

CM 335 - African-American Pastoral Psychology
Lee Butler
We will consider the African American approach to human nature, personality, theory and key concepts. Biblical texts will be woven with the psychological theories to encourage a pastoral approach to psychotherapy.

CM 400 - Preaching and Pastoral Care
Lee Butler
This course will focus upon the sermonic communication of God's love and hope in times of crisis. Students will be challenged to develop homiletical skills, ministerial sensitivity, and a vision of congregational life.

On the calendar

RH 402: History of Jewish Thought

An overview of Jewish thought and practice utilizing the great works of Jewish literature from the rabbinic period to modernity. Texts include: Talmud, Midrash, selected works of medieval philosophy, commentary, codes, kabbalah, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Eli Wiesel, Martin Buberand more.

Fall 2013, 2015 (Mikva)

RH 405: Jewish and Christian Interpretations of Genesis

How do we sometimes find such diverse readings of the same texts?  How do some readers discern original sin, while others emphasize a creation that is “very good”?  How do differing attitudes about sexuality express themselves in biblical exegesis?  A literary, socio-historical and anthropological study of selected passages from Genesis with attention to multiple ways in which it has been interpreted within Judaism and Christianity (with optional Hebrew component).

Fall 2014 (Mikva)

RH 409: Study Tour to Israel and Palestine

History pours out of every rock in the land of Israel, and hopes for the future pour out of every face.  This two-week journey will explore the biblical heritage, the vitality of the modern State of Israel, and the tremendous challenges in pursuing justice and peace for Israelis and Palestinians.  Substantial subsidies for CTS students are available.

January 2013, 2015 (Mikva, Thistlethwaite)

RH416/TEC 419: Dangerous Religious Ideas

Using primary and secondary sources in Scripture and its interpretation, the class will explore religious ideas that are or have been considered “dangerous” in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (e.g., martyrdom, Sabbath, chosenness, free will and divine providence, reward and punishment, homeland, abomination, religious law, Jubilee, etc.). Our goal is to understand the potentially constructive and destructive aspects of each concept, and to consider how we might reshape their meaning.

Fall 2012, 2014 (Mikva)

RH 421: Jewish Prayer and Practice

An exploration of the range of Jewish belief and practice regarding holidays, life cycles and liturgy, with plenty of opportunity for comparative reflection.

Fall 2014 (Mikva)

RH 485: Religion in North America

(M.Div. required course) This course will explore the historical development of religion in America from the 17th to 21st centuries, highlighting the ways that its diversity has shaped American culture and identity.

Spring each year (Speller or Thistlethwaite)

RH 494/TEC 441: Story and Religious Imagination in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Why do religious stories have such a powerful impact?  Why are they an essential component of every faith tradition across time and space?  What do they share, and how are they distinguished by historical context and culture?  Both practical and theoretical, the course undertakes a study of hagiography, parable, exegesis, religious folktale and personal testimony from Late Antiquity to the present day, exploring the need for personal narrative and how to utilize story most effectively in our ministry.

Spring 2015 (Mikva)

RH 595: Maimonides, Aquinas and ibn Rushd

We compare the thought of these three medieval scholars—intellectual giants of their time—as it relates to issues of human nature and purpose, ethics, suffering, hermeneutics, politics, Divine Providence and free will, the nature of prophecy, etc.  We also explore how they relate to their historical contexts and crossed cultural boundaries.

CM 365: Global Sensitivity in Ministry

(M.Div. required course) The learning objectives of this course are to improve understanding of and responsiveness to social movements, cultural variety, and global issues.

Fall each year (Seo or Premawardhana)

TEC 470: Religion And: State, Science, Environment

The intersections of religion and critical contemporary issues present unique challenges to religious leaders and communities.  We will review the range of religious voices on each of these topics, and how religion has played a role in the historical unfolding of public attitudes.  We also want to seek out and emulate those approaches most able to shape the religious voice as a force for blessing in the public discourse.

Spring 2014 (Mikva)

TEC 395: Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Introduction to Interfaith Engagement

Online or face-to-face course exploring each of the Abrahamic faiths and their relationship through history.  It also seeks to provide a foundation for engaging others of every faith, cultivating common ground, dignifying difference and encouraging a depth of encounter that is mutually transformative.

Fall 2013, 2015 (Mikva, Thistlethwaite, Syeed-Miller)

TEC 475: Exploring the American Muslim Experience

Spring 2014 (Nashashibi)

TEC 494: Native American Religious Traditions

Introduction to diversity of First Nation religious traditions in North America, especially Eastern Woodlands and Plains. Focus on common themes, cultural differences, stereotypes, cultural resilience, creativity, adaption and new religious movements.

Fall, 2014  (Schneider)

TEC 497: Theology in Asia

An exploration of the diversity of religious traditions, and their unique expressions found in Asia.

TEC 504: Augustine, Niebuhr, & Malcolm X

We will review the ideas of these three highly influential thinkers about the nature of sin in human existence and those qualities of human beings requiring redemption, giving special attention to the theme of sin as pride and sensuality.

Fall each year (Terrell)

Field Education Opportunities

Students may elect field education placements that focus on interfaith engagement or ministry within a multi-faith context (e.g., Interfaith Youth Core, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, etc.).

Each year (Derylak)

To be scheduled

RH 417: Loss and Healing in the Bible and Rabbinic Literature

An exploration of communal and individual loss, along with the rhetorical and theological strategies for coping, for understanding, for healing. Passages for study include Lamentations, Job, Psalms and Ruth, plus select passages from Genesis-Deuteronomy -- with midrashic, medieval and modern interpretation. There will be opportunities to address the subject personally, academically and professionally, with some flexibility based on your objectives.

(Mikva)

RH 480: Martin, Malcolm, and Civil Religion

This course will explore the structures and parameters of civil religion in American by studying responses to its presence and influence found in the speeches, articles and addresses of significant Americans.

(Speller)

RH 491: Comparative and Competitive Exegesis: The Rabbis and the Church Fathers

These “Fathers of the World” influenced the shape of Judaism and Christianity for the ages.  How did they read the Bible?  How do their shared hermeneutics lead to radically different interpretations, and what has the impact been on religious history?  To what extent may they have known of each other’s work, and even “cooperated” in the exegetical enterprise?

(Mikva)

CM 417: Worship in World Religions

To foster peace, tolerance and harmony in world of religious pluralism and conflict, and to better understand one’s own practices, leaders of communities of faith need to become familiar with the beliefs and practices of our neighbors. We will study the forms of worship of a sampling of world religions and visit actual communities to learn how to build relationships of trust.

 (Haldeman)

TEC 420: Explorations in Jewish Ethics

The course provides both a case study approach in order to explore personal ethics, and a historical review to learn about the development of Jewish ethics—its moral codes, historical movements, and ethical instruction embedded in Jewish narrative.  We will explore how these texts and communities shaped Jewish life, and compare the expressions with Christian ethical theory.

 (Mikva)

TEC 487: Theologies of the Third World

The course will examine some of the recent theological developments in the third world countries, with particular attentions being paid to the historical and economic conditions.

(Seo)

TEC 495: Dialogue Among Religions

The course will investigate the possibility of interreligious dialogues and their practical consequences.

(Seo)

TEC 591: Topics in Interreligious Dialogue

Through introduction to the texts and traditions of another world religion, this course will build bases for inter-religious understanding and dialogue.

(Schneider)

TEC 481: Interfaith Action in the World

This course will explore current public discourse, personal, and cultural narratives of religion, consider theological approaches to interfaith work, and students will explore and develop skills for interaction across religious differences.

Worship presents abiding challenges and tremendous opportunities for multi-faith understanding and engagement.  The Center utilizes this context to promote understanding and appreciation for diverse religious traditions.

Sukkot at CTS

As a Jewish harvest festival that highlights gratitude, hospitality, Divine concern and our deep connection to the earth, Sukkot provides a wonderful context for teaching, sharing and celebration.  This year acknowledge the importance of this festival with an entire “Sukkat Shalom and Justice Week.” We will build our sukkah and celebrate the beginning of the festival with a potluck supper. We also sponsor an interfaith roundtable of experts on food justice projects in the Chicago area, and glean in the community gardens for the local food pantries.  Finally, we are hosting a major lecture in honor of Abraham Joshua Heschel’s profound commitment to social justice.

Community Worship, Spring 2013

Each year, JCIS organizes one of the worship services for the CTS community.  Previous themes have included At the Crossroads: Cultivate Common Ground, Dignify Difference, Taste Transformation and Stepping into Someone Else’s Shoes. This year will be organized by the students participating in the study tour to Israel and Palestine, addressing some of the issues they encounter on their journey.

You can view last year's worship program [pdf] and the sermon [pfd], delivered by Rabbi Mikva.

Passover Seder of the Children of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah: An Interfaith Journey of Liberation

Last year’s seder was a smashing success, with so many people we had to turn folks away.  So we promised we would do it again – in Spring of 2014.  Maybe we will make it a biennial affair!

In the coming year, we hope to build our interreligious relationships so that worship opportunities at CTS can be truly “interfaith.”