About the Course:

What do we mean by the word "love"? Is it merely a feeling? Is love something that must be learned and cultivated, or is it an innate ability? Love is a universally understood term and yet when we say we love pineapples, our parents, our friends, our lovers, and even God, we obviously do not mean "love" in the same way. This class will focus on love in a Christian context, how it is conceived of, and how it plays out in the life of the Christian. We will examine this topic primarily through four works and various supplemental materials. The class is necessarily text-based, and readings will average to a little under 60 pages a week but will be shorter when the reading is more difficult and longer when easier. In addition to the entirety of C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces and The Four Loves, we will read selections from St. Augustine, the Bible, the Lutheran theologian Anders Nygren, and Martin Luther. The grade will mostly be based off of three short writing assignments (short as in about a page each) and the final paper (about 3 pages). As most of the class time will be spent in small groups, willingness to discuss and participate is necessary and constitutes a large amount of the grade. Keeping up with the reading is essential, but I will make every effort to spend a little time each class to review and summarize the past week's reading.

How to Enroll:

Come to the first class meeting to receive the CCN. If there are more that are interested than seats available, there will be a short application to determine enrollment. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns or if you are very interested in the DeCal but can't attend the first session, etc.