The Module Methodologies in Research in Theology acquaints students with the different research methods relevant for theological research (biblical, historical, systematic, pastoral, magisterial, etc.). The Master Students learn to command the tools and techniques of reflection and research writing in view of skills for their future Master Dissertation Project. Cherishing a constructive dialogue with the rich Asian cultural philosophical and religious traditions, students learn to appropriate the Christian theological and doctrinal tradition in a fruitful and practical way in view of their future tasks and ministries.

In the contemporary era, the world experiences a pluralism that is qualitatively different from the past. Consequently, the new way of being Church in Asia is by being-in-dialogue. The course consists of two parts. The first part offers an overview of Asian philosophies and religions through an in-depth study of their distinctive characteristics, historical developments, and how they interact with one another and with the West throughout history in Asia. The second part takes up special themes such as integral ecology, suffering, multiple cultural identities, human fraternity, and Indo-Chinese insights to a deeper understanding of Trinitarian communion to underscore the contemporary relevance of Asian wisdom.

This module provides advanced training in the methods of biblical exegesis and the exploration of biblical theology. Students will engage in the critical interpretation of biblical texts, considering historical, literary, and theological dimensions. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the theological message of the Bible in its original context and applying it to contemporary theological reflection and pastoral ministry.

This course explores the functions of religious beliefs, practices, and organizations, as well as examines the impact of religion on other social institutions. It concerns how religion and social behavior influence each other. It also presents a sociological perspective on religion that broadens its relevance to the study of theology.

The focus of this Marian Theology course is the Scriptural Christocentric and Ecclesiotypical Mariology emerging from Vatican II. This course will also study the contribution of the Fathers of the Church, and the rich legacy of some Marian writers prior to Vatican II, because an appreciation of the past is indispensable for an understanding of Marian Theology today. Future directions in Mariology will also be explored.

This course will investigate four Sacraments (penance, anointing of the sick, Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders) according to the Catholic theological tradition. The course is divided into two sections. The first section considers the history of the sacraments and the development of sacramental theology from the Christian Scriptures (New Testament period) through the Second Vatican Council. The second section examines various theological and pastoral issues relating to the sacraments, and considers the understanding of the sacraments in Christian faiths other than Catholicism, as well as the promises and challenges of an ecumenical perspective.

The course provides an overview of virtue theory by introducing students to key texts, concepts and distinctions. The course focuses on the development of virtue theory in Chirstian theology, but also encourgaes students to reflect on understandings of virtues in other traditions.

Comprehensive study of the doctrinal foundations of Spiritual Theology and Consecrated Life.

This course is a general survey of the history of Christianity in East and South-East Asia, with special emphasis on the various missionary strategies. Special emphasis will be placed on the successful inculturation experiments in relation to the more traditional acculturating efforts toward local populations. The historical role Macau has played in the region will be examined within the broader context of the development of Christianity in China.

The module guides students to pursue focused study in a specialized area of dogmatic, moral, and practical (pastoral) theology. Students broaden and deepen their theological knowledge and expertise by being guided to do in-depth critical and integrative research of theological concepts and issues. This course is an advanced engagement with a selected theme and topic in theology, with paying attention to the nature of theological argumentation and consistent presentation in a research paper.

This research seminar in theology helps Master students to train and deepen skills acquired in the module Methodologies in Research in Theology. Students continue to be guided to learn to command the tools and techniques of research and move to organize and integrate their knowledge in form of a seminar paper in a chosen area of theological specialization (Biblical Studies, History of Christian Life and Thought, Systematic Theology, Ethics and Moral Theology, Spiritual Theology, Comparative Religion). Cherishing a constructive dialogue with the rich Asian cultural and religious tradition, students learn to appropriate the Christian theological and doctrinal tradition in a fruitful way in view of their future ministries. It aims at providing students the required skills to pursue independent theological research and finding and formulating consistent theological answers to contemporary challenges.

Students will study, from a psychological perspective (concepts, theories and methods), religion and religious phenomena. Topics will include: psychology of religious development, personality psychology and religion; social psychology of religion; clinical psychology of religion; interdisciplinarity between psychology, theology and sciences of religion.

This module aims at helping the students to understand:
-the nature of the Liturgical Theology by identify the relationship between the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, the Mystery of Worship and the Mystery of the Church;
-the importance of the rituale;
-the Art of Liturgical Celebration
-the homily as an integrate part of the liturgy and its liturgical setting;
-the situation of the liturgy of the Church today;

This course serves as a general introduction to missiology and mission theology. It offers a theological reflection on the nature and goals of mission and the development of the study of missiology in various epochs, particularly their implications to mission in the 21st century. It seeks to root missiology in biblical and systematic theology and analyze missiological issues through theological lenses. Moreover, this course introduces the students to interreligious or interfaith dialogue between Catholicism and other major world religions. It offers a theological reflection on the nature of religion and dialogue in cross-cultural perspective. We shall offer an overview of the broad context of interreligious dialogue in the historical and theological perspective of the Christian tradition. We shall pay particular attention to specifically Asian and the Pacific context where the cosmic and metacosmic religions are very much part of the lives of the people. Moreover, we will provide a short introduction to selected world religions, namely: Judaism, Islam, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism. This way we want to better understand the phenomenon of religious pluralism in the light of the comparative study of religions. Finally, we will consider the Church’s teaching on interreligious dialogue with a more focused discussion on the themes of dialogue especially with Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. The course ends with reflection on the relationship between interfaith dialogue and religious identity and how a dialogue itself can be a challenge and opportunity for a mutual spiritual transformation within each religious tradition.

This course will discuss the relationship between liturgical theology and the various art forms which shape the larger context of the liturgical act (specifically music, dramatic elements, poetry, visual arts), and the ways in which various aesthetic theories and artistic making have affected (and have potential to affect) our understanding of Christian worship and theology.

This module first treats of some general principles of Canon Law -the law of the Latin Catholic Church- followed by the study of some particular sections of the Code of Canon Law (1983) related to Marriage: celebration of marriage; its elements for validity; its effects; mixed marriages, separation, validation of marriage (cc. 1055-1165) and to some special ecclesiastical processes: matrimonial and penal processes (cc. 1671ff) according to the current legislations (jus vigens) and in reference to canonical jurisprudence.

The module reflects different contemporary pastoral contexts and challenges in view of proper discernment and responsible pastoral answers. The module includes also an analyses of major phases of pastoral reflection throughout history. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council marks a crucial karios for the Church of today. Also the proper identity, method, and goal of pastoral theology is reflected and deepened, as well as its practical realization in the specific pastoral and cultural setting in Asia. It concludes with the challenge of ever new evangelizing cultures.

The dissertation integrates the taught materials and demonstrates the student’s in-depth understanding of the field of theology, and the ability to work independently. Students work individually with a supervisor on a specific topic chosen in consultation with and guidance by the supervisor. Students deepen the tools and techniques of research and move to organize and integrate their knowledge in form of a theses (dissertation) in a chosen area of specialization in theology (Biblical Studies, Church History, Dogmatic Theology, Moral Theology and Spirituality, and Pastoral Theology and Liturgy). Work cannot be commenced until the dissertation proposal has been accepted by the university. The final dissertation has to be defended publicly before a committee of three professors.