The curriculum review committee is discussing eliminating or weakening the theology requirement. With the notable exception of Carolyn Woo, most of the pushback has come from theology professors and majors. It is no surprise theologians value theology, but this gives a false impression. We, the undersigned, are not theology majors, but we recognize theology is a vital part of a Catholic education, and so we are writing in support of keeping the theology core requirement.
Catholic universities must educate their students’ hearts along with their minds. Notre Dame is the foremost Catholic university in the world, and as such we must be an example of how to combine faithful witness and academic excellence. Eliminating the theology requirement would frustrate our mission and bring Notre Dame closer to being another good school among many.
Theology courses are the most direct encounter students can have with “the big questions” from the perspective of what God has revealed: What are we doing here? Why does it matter? How do I relate to God and to those around me? Thus, theology is in a unique position to change students’ lives.
Some have suggested that classes about Catholic themes — such as classes about the history or sociology of Catholicism — could replace theology. Such courses are important, but cannot replace theology. Theology is central to a Catholic education because its distinctive subject is God’s self-revelation and our place in the world in light of that revelation. Every discipline is valuable, but theology’s perspective is unique.
Furthermore, the core requirement gives structure to the theology department. Since every student has to take two courses, the theology department has more faculty and graduate students than other departments. This offers students more perspectives along with more role models who can guide them on how to live their faith. Weakening the requirement will slim down the department and make Notre Dame a much poorer place to be a Catholic.
Thus, we the undersigned oppose any effort to eliminate, reduce or dilute the theology requirement.
Brian Stahl
history
senior
Keenan Hall
Bridget Bruns
environmental science
junior
Lewis Hall
Chris Moyer
science-business
junior
Keenan Hall
Tyler Cummings
computer science
junior
Keenan Hall
Noreen Fischer
finance
junior
Pasquerilla West
Maria Perozzi
science pre-professional
junior
Pasquerilla West
Audrey Drewing
science pre-professional
junior
Pasquerilla West
Colleen Marshall
history/ACPP
junior
Pasquerilla West
Danielle Butler
science-business
junior
Lewis Hall
Nicholas Pettegrew
chemical engineering
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Russel Hutson
biology
sophomore
Keenan Hall
A.J. Pucci
chemical engineering
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Alec Sims
accounting
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Brandon Sura
science-business
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Jacqueline Dunn
mechanical engineering
junior
Farley Hall
William Harris
mechanical engineering
junior
Siegfried Hall
Jake Grabowski
finance
sophomore
Knott Hall
Ian Smith
accounting
sophomore
Knott Hall
Mary Kate Palmer
mechanical engineering
sophomore
Lewis Hall
Glen McClain
neuroscience
sophomore
Knott Hall
James Matakovich
accounting
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Max Ducery
civil engineering
junior
Keenan Hall
Sam Lucas
science pre-professional/anthropology
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Jack Higham
chemical engineering
freshman
Keenan Hall
Connor Higgins
computer science
freshman
Keenan Hall
Dominic Scarcelli
political science
freshman
Keenan Hall
Joseph Pye
electrical engineering
freshman
Keenan Hall
Adrienne Voelker
chemistry
junior
Pasquerilla West
Chandler Moorer
biology
freshman
O'Neill Hall
Caitlin McCreary
program of liberal studies
junior
Walsh Hall
Kevin Yokum
electrical engineering
freshman
Alumni Hall
Paul Dowling
computer engineering
sophomore
Duncan Hall
Brendan Galloway
electrical engineering
sophomore
Siegfried Hall
Kathleen Rocks
program of liberal studies/American studies
freshman
Cavanaugh Hall
Emily Silver
neuroscience
freshman
Cavanaugh Hall
Cara Malulon
neuroscience
freshman
Ryan Hall
Rose Anderson
history/film, television and theater
sophomore
Lewis Hall
Laura Paquin
aerospace engineering
junior
Pasquerilla East
Ben Robinson
neuroscience
freshman
Keenan Hall
Eduardo Mancilla
economics
freshman
Keenan Hall
Tom Hutchinson
environmental engineering
freshman
Keenan Hall
Marissa Cirillo
chemical engineering
senior
Cavanaugh Hall
Quinn Dolan
economics
senior
Keenan Hall
James Heisler
electrical engineering
senior
Keenan Hall
Gordan MacDougall
science-business
senior
Keenan Hall
David Terry
civil engineering
senior
Keenan Hall
Nathaniel Pawelczyk
computer science/physics
senior
Keenan Hall
Kelsey O'Brien
business
freshman
Breen-Phillips Hall
Kirstyn Ruiz
political science/French
freshman
Farley Hall
Kate Butler
psychology/arts and letters pre-professional
senior
McGlinn Hall
Thomas Groden
finance
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Andrew Robinson
accounting
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Joseph Celeste
finance
senior
Dillon Hall
Tom Hite
classics
junior
Dillon Hall
Jonathan Baker
chemistry
freshman
Keenan Hall
Olivia Dietzel
mechanical engineering
senior
Cavanaugh
Kristina Flathers
economics
senior
Lewis Hall
Zachary Myzska
history/applied and computational mathematics and statistics
freshman
Keenan Hall
Daniel Selhorst
political science
junior
Zahm Hall
Emily Hergenrother
science-business
senior
Cavanaugh
Olivia Balmert
biology
senior
Pasquerilla East
Tessa Laubacher
psychology
junior
Pasquerilla East
Anibal Torres
mechanical engineering
junior
Keenan Hall
Lucinda Krahl
mechanical engineering
junior
Farley Hall
James Southard
program of liberal studies
senior
Keenan Hall
Levi Hopkins
economics
senior
Keenan Hall
Mark Godding
neuroscience
senior
Keenan Hall
Shaquille Johnson
computer engineering
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Katie Maxfield
history/German
senior
Cavanaugh Hall
Emma Henderson
chemical engineering
senior
Cavanaugh Hall
Michael Noelke
finance/applied mathematics
senior
Dillon Hall
Matthew Doherty
program of liberal studies
senior
Dillon Hall
Royce Branning
computer science
freshman
Keenan Hall
Michael Hanley
accounting
senior
St. Edward's Hall
Prinz Jeremy Dela Cruz
French/philosophy
senior
Morrisey Hall
Henry Dickman
finance/economics
sophomore
off campus
Marina Salinas
psychology
senior
Welsh Family Hall
Eileen Hoban
science-business
junior
Ryan Hall
Kyle Dougher
economics
senior
Dillon Hall
Victoria Velasquez
English/film, television and theater
sophomore
Cavanaugh Hall
Alex Genord
political science
senior
Lewis Hall
Matthew Fallon
psychology
senior
off campus
Amanda Pena
sustainable development
senior
off campus
Adrianna Duggan
psychology
freshman
Welsh Family Hall
Mary Driewer
management consulting
sophomore
Pasquerilla West
Christie Hillsman
English
senior
off campus
Paul Kuczynski
English
senior
Siegfried Hall
Lauren Saunee
psychology/science pre-professional
freshman
Walsh Hall
Mary Salvi
political science
senior
Farley Hall
Kate Hardiman
political science
sophomore
Breen-Phillips Hall
Kyle Cowdrick
chemical engineering
senior
Knott Hall
Molly Burke
mechanical engineering
senior
off campus
Michelle Williams
neuroscience
sophomore
Pasquerilla West
Abby Balmert
psychology
sophomore
Pasquerilla East
Anne Wildenhain
mechanical engineering
senior
Welsh Family Hall
Elizabeth Wildenhain
biology/philosophy
freshman
Welsh Family Hall
Caroline Jansen
mathematics/medieval studies
senior
Cavanaugh Hall
Brianna Bahe
neuroscience
sophomore
Welsh Family Hall
Thomas Olohan
history
junior
Morrisey Hall
Sarah Drumm
electrical engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Frank Cipollone
computer science
junior
Keough Hall
Rebecca Self
political science
junior
Welsh Family Hall
Frank Wamsley
psychology
sophomore
Duncan Hall
Brian Credo
classics
senior
Dillon Hall
Alex Hadley
program of liberal studies/classics
freshman
Carroll Hall
Anna Bradley
anthropology
freshman
Farley Hall
Luis EranaSalmeron
aerospace engineering
sophomore
Keough Hall
Ann Gallagher
program of liberal studies/classics
sophomore
Pasquerilla West
Tierney Vrdolyak
program of liberal studies/marketing
freshman
Breen-Phillips
Sophia Buono
program of liberal studies
freshman
Lyons Hall
Julia McGinty
biology
senior
Welsh Family
Greg Duffy
economics/spanish
senior
off campus
Joseph Porada
civil engineering
sophomore
Keenan Hall
John McGinn
math/Irish studies
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Peter O'Connor
accounting
junior
Keenan Hall
Luke Berning
accounting
junior
Keenan Hall
Tiera Hollanquest
civil engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Lily Wick
aerospace engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Madison Oswald
business
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Hiba Kahouli
aerospace engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Anastasia Evanich
history/accounting
senior
off campus
Ashley Ahimbisibwe
environmental engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Megan Sweeney
business
freshman
Lyons Hall
Katherine Lisko
business
freshman
Lyons Hall
Meghan Brennan
business
freshman
Lyons Hall
Sarah Olson
computer science
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Shannon Meyer
aerospace engineering
freshman
Pasquerilla East
Lesli Mark
chemical engineering
senior
Welsh Family Hall
Kaitlyn Stettnichs
psychology
senior
Cavanaugh Hall
Carlos Covarrublus
finance/economics
freshman
Siegfried Hall
Louis Filipack
science-business/English
freshman
Siegfried Hall
Joshua Batista
psychology
freshman
Siegfried Hall
Andrew Poireir
mechanical engineering
freshman
Siegfried Hall
Darren Church
business
sophomore
Siegfried Hall
Henry Long
computer science
freshman
Siegfried Hall
Brandyn Toone
business/film, television and theater
sophomore
Siegfried Hall
Chris Leitten
finance
sophomore
Keenan Hall
Ayomide Awe
mechanical engineering
freshman
Keenan Hall
David Valenti
accounting/art
senior
Keenan Hall
Adam Mallette
chemical engineering
freshman
Zahm Hall
Patrick Butler
history/English
senior
off campus
Francisco Yang
science-business
freshman
Keenan Hall
Frederick Stavins
accounting
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Richard Rosso
finance/applied and computational mathematics and statistics
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Patrick O'Meara
mechanical engineering
senior
Stanford Hall
Jason LeBlanc
finance
senior
Dillon Hall
Michael DiGaetano
science-business
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Rafael Herrera
neuroscience
freshman
Dillon Hall
Regina Ekaputri
psychology
freshman
Farley Hall
Meaghan Frawley
mechanical engineering
sophomore
Cavanaugh Hall
Emma Richard
mechanical engineering
sophomore
Cavanaugh Hall
Emmett Wilmes
mechanical engineering
sophomore
Duncan Hall
Emily Kearney
mechanical engineering
sophomore
Cavanaugh Hall
Dean Swan
business/economics
freshman
Dillon Hall
Michael Higgins
finance
freshman
Dillon Hall
Joshua BIndon
biology
senior
Dillon Hall
Sarah Tomas Morgan
program of liberal studies
freshman
Pasquerilla West
Joseph Moran
accounting
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Daniel Brndjar
applied and computational mathematics and statistics/economics
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Mary Knapp
psychology/business
senior
Welsh Family Hall
Daniel Forney
pre-professional
senior
Dillon Hall
Abbey Santanello
economics/pre-med
senior
Walsh Hall
Matthew Messana
biochemistry
senior
Dillon Hall
Mary Faurot
chemical engineering
junior
Pasquerilla East
Thomas Hite
classics
junior
Dillon Hall
Amanda Schockling
civil engineering
senior
Welsh Family Hall
Elizabeth Crimmins
history
freshman
McGlinn Hall
Carolyn Ebner
program of liberal studies
freshman
Lyons Hall
Mary Connolly
computer science
sophomore
Pasquerilla East
Katelyn Doering
political science
senior
Pasquerilla West
Grace Maginn
history
junior
McGlinn Hall
John Hollkamp
mechanical engineering
senior
Knott Hall
Clare Urbanski
French/Russian
freshman
Lewis Hall
Jasmine Miller
neuroscience
senior
Pasquerilla West
Bradley Stalcup
computer science
senior
Fisher Hall
Sam O'Melveny
civil engineering
freshman
O'Neill Hall
Spencer Clark
physics
freshman
Zahm Hall
Brian Byrne
computer engineering
freshman
Zahm Hall
Gabriela Moro
pre-medical
freshman
Cavanaugh Hall
Patrick Krach
biology
senior
Alumni Hall
Juliana Pellino
finance
freshman
McGlinn Hall
Madeleine Organ
applied and computational mathematics and statistics
freshman
Pasquerilla West
Nicole Steiner
economics
freshman
Pasquerilla West
Luisa Mader
psychology
freshman
Pasquerilla West
Alexandra Gibson
biology
junior
Pasquerilla East
Petra Rantanen
pre-medical/sociology
sophomore
Pasquerilla West
Michael Anderson
biochemistry
freshman
Keenan Hall
Eric Krebs
computer science
freshman
Stanford Hall
Christopher Scott
international economics
freshman
St. Edward's Hall
Makenna Siebenaler
psychology
junior
Pangborn Hall
Michael Valacer
classics/mathematics
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Katie Serody
psychology/pre-professional
sophomore
Ryan Hall
Brett Magnan
accounting
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Justin Brill
biology/French
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Nicholas Tucker
neuroscience
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Andrew Latham
chemistry/applied and computational mathematics and statistics
sophomore
Dillon Hall
Rebeckah Wellen
accounting
sophomore
Pangborn Hall
Savannah Washlesky
civil engineering
sophomore
McGlinn Hall
Rachel Jonckheere
accounting
sophomore
Lyons Hall
Meagan Snodell
IT management
sophomore
Lyons Hall
Jacob Dean
civil engineering
junior
O'Neill Hall
Ann Bodien
psychology
senior
Farley Hall
