This introductory course is also enrolled in general education as a prerequisite for students who will pursue psychology training. This course will provide students with the basic concepts in psychology and will facilitate their access to knowledge during their academic curriculum. It includes the following objectives: understanding psychology from a historical and a theoretical perspective (Gestalt, phenomenological, experimental, scientific, psychoanalytic and cognitive, etc.); understanding the various fields of psychology (clinical, experimental, developmental, educational, social, etc.) and the different methods used (experimental, clinical, psychometric, projective, etc.); providing an appropriate approach to personality issues - basic needs, affective and emotional (feelings, emotions), intellectual (cognition, memory) and social (social influence).

This course provides a basic knowledge of general sociology: a) it presents an overview of the context of event­emergence of sociology on the basis of the main founders and focuses on the methodological perspectives and applied sociological methods and techniques; b) it focuses on the key principles of social themes, which description and definition have fueled the many debates that are changing this discipline within the vast corpus of scientific knowledge. This course provides the students with general sociology elements, sensitizes their "sociological perspective" and develops critical reflection on various social issues.

MTR222 - University Working Methodology This course will provide first year students in humanities with essential methods for the preparation of their work during the years of study at the University. These methods are common to all material and address different levels, ranging from exercises promoting correct educational attitudes in the introduction to the methods of work, the investigation of a text, and finally, to the mastery of speech essential to establish exchange with others, orally and in writing, and to assert with confidence and autonomy. In addition, the objectives of this course will address data essential for the design, drafting and the realization of research work. MTR225 - Research Methods The course entitled "Research Methods" aims to introduce students to the stages of developing research work, in its epistemological / ethical aspect and in its practical dimension. This course emphasizes the design, writing and presentation of research work through the appropriation of quantitative and qualitative techniques, necessary for its realization in a scientific manner. The course offers a methodological kit: a selection of tools, resources as well as written exercises (dissertations, detailed plan, essays, reading notes, summary notes, etc.) and oral exercises (presentations, debates, etc.) which objective would be to help students prepare for their multidisciplinary work and consolidate their methodological learning.

The course will introduce students to philosophical thinking and practice. It will cover, on the one hand, the main philosophical currents, highlighting their specificity and their creative input and, on the other hand, the most representative authors in the history of philosophical thought. In an effort not to separate these themes and the fundamental questions of mankind, the course attempts to show the relationship that develops between the aforementioned notions, with the aim of addressing their impact on certain world views that constantly interpolate us within contemporary societies. THEO351 - Social Ethics The field of social ethics encompasses all aspects of relations between members of the same society and between different societies. As a broad branch of moral theology, it covers a wide range of themes: How should we act, as believers, in the various sectors of social life? What moral values should we adopt to guide our behavior, reactions, and initiatives, among others, in society? How should we behave when faced with several alternatives? Which choice best reflects God’s will, as expressed in Sacred Scripture and tradition? The dignity of the human person created in the image and likeness of God, human rights, work as the key to the social issue, the universal destination of goods, the environment, the economy, peace (and wars in its various forms), politics (authority, the common good, democracy, the role of the State, its responsibilities and limits), and the place of the family in the social doctrine of the Church, among others. The approach adopted is to reflect on man’s existence in society in the light of faith and ecclesial tradition, with a view to examining their conformity or divergence with the Gospel’s teaching on man. The value of this course lies in the fact that it enables future priests to develop a pastoral strategy, providing guidelines for Christian behavior.

This course is divided into two parts: the first part examines pre­Socratic sources that give students the proper tools to acquire philosophical thinking in their quest for the nature of things, and in their attempt to unveil both natural and human phenomena. It thus includes the main schools of thought such as the School of Miletus (Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes), the Pythagorean school (Pythagoras), the Ionian school (Heraclitus), the Eleatic school (Parmenides), as well as the Sophists. The second part deals with Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

This course focuses on the major authors of “Christian Philosophy”. Without limiting itself to theological questions, it focuses on the central issues of faith/reason and the existence and knowledge of God and addresses some of the major theological controversies that shook the Middle Age and had a direct impact on the evolution of thought.

The question What is man? Lies at the heart of philosophical inquiry. Starting from the necessary anthropocentrism of philosophy, the two-part course first explores teh meaning of the question of man’s nature throughout history, right up to the challenges posed by cyborg, the computational world and gender theory. It examines the difficulties of defining the human through current mutations, drawing on thinkers of classical humanism and posthumanism. In a second phase, the course outlines the fundamental categories of philosophical anthropology, offering an in-depth analysis of being in-relation and a discussion of its political, social and cultural implications, with reference to contemporary thinkers on otherness.

The course introduces the students to the two modern philosophy currents starting with Francis Bacon, its forerunner, the rationalism (Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza) and empiricism (Locke, Condillac, Hume) that paved the way on the hand to Kant’s philosophy of knowledge - critical rationalism - and to the phenomenology of the other.

This course initially outlines a perspective of language as an object of study that shows how much of the philosophy of the twentieth century developed as a "philosophy of language" (Analytic Philosophy). Secondly it deals with the general theoretical framework of the argument as a discursive act, based on the theory of acts of language (speech acts), that the two philosophers Longshaw John Austin and, later, John Searle paved the way for. Thirdly, general issues related to logic are discussed, and are treated by the induction and deduction master concepts - truth and validity. A brief discussion is given on the methods and endorsements of formalization. The formal approach is exemplified, when it comes to conducting the analysis and evaluation of simple deductive arguments, called syllogism.

This course invites students to reflect on the meaning and significance of their own being, as well as that of the universe, and to try to answer questions about the origin of God, the human being, and the universe. This approach aims to satisfy, as radically as possible, the need for understanding that the human mind requests. As a “first philosophy”, metaphysical reflection concerns the knowledge of the first causes of being, and the first principles on which human thought is based. This reflection addresses two metaphysical aspects: first an ontological approach which concerns being qua being, and which relates to the being of man, in his search for ultimate meaning; and a second approach in theodicy which concerns the possible relationships between man and God, by means of delimiting the field of application of philosophical reason to the concept of God.

The course focuses on three main axes: firstly, it examines the influence of morality on politics, arguing that morality should guide human rights and dignity through virtues and social justice (Plato, Aristotle, Kant). Secondly, it highlights the idea, supported by many philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and Machiavelli, that politics should sometimes break free from moral considerations to ensure the stability and power of the state. In a third axis, it emphasizes the notion that for the well-being of both politics and morality, these two domains should be separated within a society, where the discussion revolves around matters of law. It is then more appropriate to speak of civility rather than morality (Alexis de Tocqueville).

The hermeneutics course deals with the philosophy of meaning and presents the conditions, components, and purposes of the hermeneutic approach, questioning for this purpose Phasari thought through selected stages of its Western history. It also sheds light on the connection of hermeneutics with the religious text, especially the Christian one, and opens a window on contemporary Arab thought that proposes a new approach to the Qur’anic text.

This course’s objective is to study, in the first part, and in an abbreviated manner, the philosophical question of existence according to Kierkegaard and other representatives of various currents of the Existential philosophy. In this second part we analyse, the basic principles of phenomenology as defined by Edmund Husserl and by a considerable number of contemporary phenomenologists. We will discuss, in this context, of Husserl's phenomenological heritage and its innovative reception of Heidegger. Moreover, we will study the pluralistic manifestations of phenomenological practice and the singular development of French phenomenological thought represented by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Emmanuel Levinas and Michel Henry.

• to familiarize students with the Greek text of the New Testament.
• to teach students how to read a biblical text.
• to acquire a basic vocabulary for translating a New Testament text.
• to be able to understand Greek syntax.

The synoptic writings are introduced in this course, namely: the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, in addition to the Acts of the Apostles which is the second volume of the Lucan work. The course starts with an introduction on the "synoptic question" and the adoption of the modified theory of the two documents, followed by the study of each of these writings and their most important themes. The approach is synchronic. The method adopted is criticism of the composition which is a specification of the writing criticism which reviews the editorial activity of the author in order to discover the theological thought.

The main objective of this course is to learn about the events constituting the history of salvation in their respective context (geographical, social, historical, religious…), to discover how this history reached us orally and in writing, and to understand why it was set in a definitive canon.

This introduction to theological study examines the foundations of Christianism, divine revelation, and faith. The course starts by explaining what theology is per se. Following a historical overview, it defines the nature, methods, purpose, and scope of reflection of theology, describing the various theological disciplines and focusing particularly on fundamental and dogmatic theology. Next, the course emphasizes Revelation, faith, and the study of the main theological concepts, including God’s Word, the living Tradition, and Church Magisterium, among others.

This course aims to help first-year theology students acquire a taste for sacramental theology with the initiation Sacraments referred to in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as “laying the foundations of every Christian life.” (CCC §1212). It focuses on two specific sacraments that constitute the gateway to Church life: baptism and confirmation, in addition to the Eucharist, which will be subsequently covered in detail in a dedicated course.

Starting with the Bible as a given norm and basis for any Christological thinking, Christology deals with the original experience of New Testament communities that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God and Lord, taking into account the full extent of the New Testament’s witness to Christ, with its manner of relating the historical Jesus before the Resurrection to the risen Christ. Then, as Christology creatively receives Christological dogmas, the dogmatic decisions of the major Church councils are a starting point for an ever-deeper knowledge of the mystery of Christ. Moreover, this course examines the contemporary Christological trends underlying any thinking about faith today and broadens into the modern Christian message. By translating Christology into soteriology, the course demonstrates that personal communion with Jesus, through faith and following, realizes man’s aspiration to salvation. Whether in life or in death, Jesus is the only way to the Father. The various parts of the course always start from a basic text (biblical, patristic, or contemporary) to draw out the main ideas, initiate a short debate, and reach a practical conclusion.

This course in fundamental moral theology deals with Christian action within a rational approach, drawing together Scriptures, tradition, the Magisterium, and human sciences in a contemporary context.The course covers: •Biblical perspectives on moral theology. •the creative evolution of moral theology. •the fundamental principles of moral theology: freedom, responsibility, the will, good and evil in actions, conscience, the law, sin, conversion, salvation and revelation, and beatitude as the purpose of all Christian action. •the encyclical Veritatis Splendor and the document of the International Theological Commission on Natural Law. •new perspectives for moral reflection. •concrete examples to illustrate and enlighten reflection.

This course describes the development of the ecclesiological and dogmatic foundations of Church life in the first 8 centuries, as well as the emergence of the Byzantine, Eastern and Latin Church communities. Rather than merely presenting a list of dates and events, the course aims to help students grasp the major historical currents and dynamics at work during the period in question.

In the past, the faithful preferred to call the anointing of the sick “extreme unction”, as this sacrament was only administered to the dying. Practices have since evolved and another, more pastoral and lenient practice is now preferred by administering this sacrament to the sick and the elderly before they are on their “death bed”. Today, in response to the pastoral needs of an ever-increasing number of sick people in our contemporary society, believers genuinely expect the Church to provide them with the grace of relief, attention, comfort, and moral and spiritual support in their illness. However, the fact that anointing is no longer associated with the imminence of death has opened the way for new pastoral challenges, as some ask whether anointing is still related to death or whether it would be more appropriate to present it as a sacrament for illness in general, rather than for mortal illness. What is at stake eschatologically in this anointing? What is the true place of the body in the practice of this anointing? What is the place of grace and healing? The anointing of the sick remains a theological knot for the 21st century. For this and many other reasons, this course begins with an analysis of the New Testament foundation for the practice of anointing the sick in the early Church, especially based on the Letter of Saint James (5: 14-15ff). This Scripture-based approach is then followed by a study of the history of the anointing process, both in the East and in the West. Students discover how theologians have interpreted Church praxis to understand its meaning. Concluding with an essential look at the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul VI, this approach allows for a fresh look at the meaning given by the Church to the “dehumanizing” aspects within the Body of Christ, namely sickness, suffering, and evil.

The course consists of an introduction to the prophetic movement, one of the major theological currents in the biblical tradition. Beginning with an in-depth examination of the key features of the prophet’s personality and activity, as revealed in the texts, the course examines the various prophet books, focusing on excerpts chosen to illustrate the different prophetic literary genres. Far from being exhaustive, the course aims to help students acquire a certain familiarity with prophetic language and thinking.

This is an introduction to the Johannine corpus, with particular emphasis on the fourth Gospel. The course will focus on the texts themselves, and on the different environments of their composition. In order to approach these testimonies of faith, passages under study are resituated in the historical context of their development and analyzed using narrative and rhetorical strategies used by the authors of communal and personal literary books.

The Holy Trinity is a mystery, the mystery of the living God who is One and Triune: Father, Son, and Spirit. This Trinitarian confession is the Christian hallmark of discourse on God. The specificity of the Christian faith is rightly expressed in the paradoxical and problematic appellation of Trinitarian monotheism. If belief in the one and triune God cannot be interpreted as a break with Jewish monotheism, then how can divine unity and uniqueness be thought of in coherence with the entirety of biblical revelation? If God’s unfathomability makes him immune to the rationalist reductions that would like to capture his essence, is it possible to give an account of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit other than in a credo quia absurdum? These questions involve biblical theology, the history of dogma, systematic theology, and patristic theology. Following an introduction designed to show the place of Trinitarian theology in Christian dogmatics as a whole and a preliminary chapter dealing with Christian monotheism, the course is divided into four parts: biblical, historical, patristic, and systematic. The purpose is to explore the ever-actual “sites” of Trinitarian theology on their own grounds.

A return to the roots: to a certain extent, this expression summarizes the content of this course, which acts as an introduction to the thinking and theology of Eastern Church Fathers between the 1st and 8th century. The lectures focus on key fathers of the Church, using texts as documentation.

The course mainly focuses on the thirteen epistles which are part of the Pauline school. It covers the epistles ranging from the Romans to Philemon, as ranked by our Bibles. Before studying the epistles themselves, we start with two preliminary parts. The first part studies the life of the Saint according to the Acts and to the epistles; the second part presents the epistolary genre, the categories of epistles and some hints for a better understanding of the studied epistles.

Biblical wisdom is the art of knowing how to live and act in accordance with God’s will. It is born of reflection on the great problems of life and asks divine revelation about them. The course studies selected texts from the Psalms and wisdom books, with a view to gaining an understanding of this wisdom. Intended as a primary aid to the critical study of biblical wisdom, this course seeks to identify its essential characteristics and highlight its fundamental biblical themes.

This course covers several topics, including the rights and duties of believers in Christ, of churches with special rights and how to belong to them and preserve their rites. It also deals with issues related to: the patriarchal vicariate, the patriarchal synod, the authority of the patriarch and synods outside the patriarchal realm; the patriarchal church and its synod; churches, episcopal presidia, metropolitan churches, other independent churches and churches with special rights, dioceses and bishops, the election of episcopal bishops, their rights and duties, auxiliaries and auxiliary bishops, the vacancy or incapacity of the apostolic president, auxiliary organs of the diocese; the diocesan diocese, which consists of the procurator general and private deputies, in addition to the parish pastoral council and clerks, the parish councilors, the parish council and advanced priests, parishioners, shepherds and their assistants, hexarchies and exarchs, and, finally, the conference of presbyterian presidents of several independent churches.

Under the title “persons” (323-583), the Canon Law II course covers three categories of Christian believers: the clergy (323-398), laypeople (410-583), and hermits and other monks and members of institutes of consecrated life (410-583). It begins by discussing the legal status of each of these three categories to better understand their rights and duties. The aim of this course is to study the organization of relations at administrative and pastoral levels, and to understand monastic organizations and their relations with the Church hierarchy, particularly with relation to caring for the souls of the faithful. To serve this objective, this course presents new perspectives for better cooperation among the three categories of Christian believers for the greater good of the Church.

Human participation in the life of the Holy Trinity is at the heart of the Christian faith. Based on biblical and spiritual tradition, this course aims to deepen this statement, highlighting the essential dimensions of Christian spiritual life: experiential, Trinitarian, ecclesial, dynamic (journey towards union with God, stages of spiritual growth), and presenting key schools of Christian spirituality.

This course aims to enable students to read and understand a legal text, specifically on marriage, also strengthening their ability to prepare couples ahead of marriage and advise them over their married life and, eventually, in the challenging times following a potential separation.

Today’s world is dominated by individualism and relativism, which lead human beings to seek their own personal good independently of the common good, thus alienating them from their fundamental vocation to love. It is therefore urgent to rediscover the teaching of virtue to ensure the proper development of the human conscience. This essential education enables students to distinguish between the real good associated with the realization of their call to love, and the love that translates into good. This course in fundamental moral theology aims to respond to this urgent need. Starting from the definition of virtue as “a habitual and firm disposition to discern and do good”, it strives to highlight the importance of these virtues, according to their nature and dynamics, for the realization of this fundamental human vocation to love. While explaining the difference and complementarity between theological virtues and human virtues, the course suggests ways of acquiring them and allowing them to guide daily human action.

The objective of the course is to study the concept of "nature" which is on a platform of ideas belonging to different fields: physics, metaphysics, theology, psychology, genetics, law, literature, ecology ... without being well defined. Two stages punctuate our journey: a historical-phenomenological deconstruction of the concept in each field, followed by a reconstruction that aims to be interdisciplinary. The work of the Lebanese language on the concept will be examined briefly. At the end of the course, the student will have acquired philosophical knowledge that can be extended into a theological meditation, will be familiar with the philosophers of nature and their basic texts and able to produce a personal thought on the question: What is nature?

This course aims to study the mission of the Church, with an emphasis on its missionary transformation as a Church on the move and pastoral work in transformation. In addition, the course will address the crisis of community involvement, particularly modern world challenges and the temptations facing pastoral workers. The focus, however, will be on the proclamation of the Gospel, homilies, and how to prepare for preaching. The course will also address the social dimension of evangelization, particularly the social and community repercussions of the kerygma, the social integration of the poor, the common good and social peace, and social dialogue as a contribution to peace.

This course provides theology students with a general knowledge of the other main religion in Lebanon. Focusing first on Islamic religious books, including the Quran, Quranic interpretations, and the life of the prophet Mohammad (Seerah), it moves on to analysis based on recent scientific studies on the emergence of Islam and the revelation of the Quran. The objective is to offer students basic and accurate information on Islam to support a scientific and accurate Christian-Muslim dialogue.