Academic Catalog and Handbooks

2025-2026 Edition

Theology, Undergraduate

DEPARTMENT CHAIR: Dr. Chris Conway (AY 2025-2028)

FACULTY: Nickolas Becker, OSB; Jennifer Beste; Adam Beyt, Kristin Colberg; Chris Conway; Benjamin Durheim; Juliann Heller; Micah Kiel, Anna Mercedes; Michael Rubbelke; Laura Taylor, and Kari-Shane Davis Zimmerman.

DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: Rooted in Benedictine values, the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the liberal arts, the Department of Theology at CSB+SJU seeks to help students cultivate theological ways of knowing as a resource for thinking about all of life. We explore enduring questions about God, ourselves, and the world, wrestling with historical and contemporary challenges in order to foster a lifelong commitment to the common good.

END OF PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS: By the end of the program, students studying theology at CSB+SJU will be able to:

  1. Apply theological concepts to enduring and developing questions or topics. 
  2. Analyze theological texts.
  3. Craft sound theological arguments.
  4. Relate theology to everyday life.

ASSESSMENT

The theology department conducts assessment of student learning in order to determine how well the department and its students are accomplishing specified student learning goals and objectives. This assessment activity provides the department with systematic feedback to make curricular and pedagogical improvements. While the department protects confidentiality, students should expect that their coursework may serve as evidence in the assessment process and that they may be asked to provide other data or participate in assessment reviews.