Introduction to Theology
Course Reading and Resources
The links to "Course Reading and Resources" and pages for each session are password-protected. Those who register will be sent a password to access these pages.
Session One - Why Study Theology?
If you are interested in any particular topic and want to explore it in more depth, you will find recommendations for further reading here.
Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter, "Ad Theologiam Promovendam", 1 November 2023
This is a link to an English translation. You can find the official Italian and Latin versions of the text at this link.
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O.O. Oredein, (2023), The Theology of Mercy Amba Oduyoye: Ecumenism, Feminism, and Communal Practice, "Introduction" (University of Notre Dame Press, 2023).
Hayward, Healey and Sibertz (2000).Towards an African Narrative Theology of Inculturation: pp. 1-21. This is a Word document of a published article. It offers an excellent overview of African theological perspectives, despite being slightly dated now.
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Healey, Joseph G. (2020). "We Create the Path By Walking: Evolving an African Narrative Theology​" in Elias Kifon Bongmba (ed.),. The Routledge Handbook of African Theology (London and New York: Routledge)
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Keane, James T. (2023). "What African theologians will mean to the future of the Catholic Church", America magazine, 14 November.
General Reading and Resources
(These are relevant for the whole course)
Vatican Documents:​​
Documents of the Second Vatican Council
Here you will find links to all the Council documents in several different languages.
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Books:​
These two books are collections of short essays compiled and edited by Tina Beattie for the Catholic Women Speak network. They include many essays that are relevant for this course:​
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​Catholic Women Speak: Bringing Our Gifts to the Table (New York and Mahwah NJ: Paulist Press, 2015)
Visions and Vocations (New York and Mahwah NJ: Paulist Press, 2018)
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Websites and Blogs:​​
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This website is excellent. It offers different translations of the Bible, and links to the Hebrew and Greek texts so that you can look up the meanings of words in Strong’s Concordance.​
Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church
An excellent website with links to articles, information, blogs and other learning resources.
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A website with links to a range of articles and activities by religious communities around the world.
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Journal Articles and Book Chapters:
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Conradie, Ernst M. Conradie and Sakupapa, Teddy C. (July 2018). "'Decolonising the Doctrine of the Trinity' or 'The Decolonising Doctrine of the Trinity'", ​Journal of Theology for Southern Africa 161 (July 2018): pp. 37-53
Fiedler, N. (2017). A History of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians 1989-2007, Chapter 8: Celebrating Maturity: 28 Years of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians (1989 – 2017) Malawi: Mzuni Press.
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Hadebe, Nontando (2013). '“Ubuntu” God and ubuntu as imago Dei : Trinitarian Theology in the African context' (Summary from unpublished doctoral thesis by Nontando Hadebe, 2013. Trinitatian Theologian response to Gender Challenges in the context of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa)
Hadebe, Nontando, "Grace and Truth: Ubuntu and Trinitarian Theology"
Hayward, Healey and Sibertz (2000).Towards an African Narrative Theology of Inculturation: pp. 1-21.
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Healey, Joseph G. (2020). "We Create the Path By Walking: Evolving an African Narrative Theology" in Elias Kifon Bongmba (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of African Theology (London and New York: Routledge)
Kanyoro, M. R.A. 2002. Introducing Feminist Cultural Hermeneutics. An African Perspective (Introductions in Feminist Theology 9). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
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Katongole, Emmanuel (2008). "A Tale of Many Stories" in Darren C. Marks (ed.), Shaping a Global Theological Mind (London and New York: Routledge).
Kgatla, S. (2016). "Relationships are building blocks to social justice: Cases of biblical justice and African Ubuntu". HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 72(1), 6 pages.
​Keane, James T. (2023). "What African theologians will mean to the future of the Catholic Church", America magazine, 14 November.
Manganyi, J., & Buitendag, J. (2013). "A critical analysis on African Traditional Religion and the Trinity". HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 69(1), 13 pages.
Mbiti, J. 2006. “Aspects of African Heritage & Spirituality”. St Augustine Papers, pp 3-15, Johannesburg.
Orobator, Agbonkhianmeghe E. (2008). "The Mad Preacher and the Three Persons in One God" in Theology Brewed in an African Pot. (Maryknoll NY: Orbis Books), pp. 26-35.
Orobator, Agbonkhianmeghe E. SJ (2008). "Method and Context: How and Where Theology Works in Africa" in Darren C. Marks (ed.), Shaping a Global Theological Mind (London and New York: Routledge).
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Orobator, Agbonkhianmeghe E. SJ (2023) "The Impact, Reception, and Implementation of Vatican II in Africa" in Catherine E. Clifford and Massimo Faggioli (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Vatican II (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
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Sakupapa, Teddy C. (2019). "The Trinity in African Christian theology: An overview of contemporary approaches", HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 75(1).
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Yafeh-Deigh, Alice (2020). "African Feminist Theology" in Elias Kifon Bongmba (ed.),. The Routledge Handbook of African Theology (London and New York: Routledge).
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