TH 216 - Ignatius and the Jesuits: History and Spirituality

(3.00 cr.)

Prerequisite: TH 201 . A theological and historical investigation of the Society of Jesus, arguably the most influential order in the history of the Catholic Church. From the religious conversion of Saint Ignatius Loyola in Renaissance Spain to the state of the Jesuit order in contemporary America, this course endeavors to clarify and interpret the intellectual, spiritual, and pedagogical vision of Ignatius and his followers. The survey includes an examination of the Spiritual Exercises; a study of the evolution of the Society's structure and mission from the first Jesuits to the present; analyses of diverse Jesuit writings over the centuries; a survey of the dazzling triumphs and nefarious intrigues imputed to the Society, and an overview of sundry 'jesuitical' observations on issues facing Catholics at the end of the twentieth century. IC