Humanities in Western Cultures

Overview

Instructor: TBD
Course Code: HIW 101
Semester: Spring 2025

Course Introduction:

Welcome to “Humanities in Western Culture”, a course that will journey through the intellectual, artistic, and spiritual currents that have shaped Western civilization from antiquity to the modern era. This course offers a broad, interdisciplinary exploration of how philosophy, literature, art, theology, and social movements have interacted to form the cultural foundations of the West, with a particular focus on the evolving role of faith in society.

From Greek philosophy and Roman law to the rise of Christian thought and the Enlightenment, the humanities have asked enduring questions about what it means to be human. At the heart of this exploration is the relationship between faith and reason, as these two forces have sometimes been seen as in tension, but also as deeply complementary in the quest for truth and justice.

As we approach this study from a progressive Catholic perspective, we will critically examine both the achievements and failures of Western culture, particularly in terms of its impact on marginalized groups, its role in colonialism, and the contemporary challenges of pluralism and social justice. The goal is not only to understand the past but also to discern how these rich traditions can inform a transformative, inclusive, and compassionate vision for the future.

What You’ll Learn

• Gain an understanding of key works, ideas, and movements in Western humanities from antiquity to modernity.
• Critically assess the role of religion and theology in shaping Western intellectual and cultural traditions.
• Explore how concepts of justice, human dignity, and the common good have evolved within Western culture.
• Analyze the contributions of marginalized voices and movements in challenging dominant narratives within Western thought.
• Reflect on how Catholic social teaching and a progressive theological lens can engage with and critique Western humanities to promote more inclusive and ethical perspectives.

Key Topics:

• Ancient Greece and Rome: Philosophy, Democracy, and Early Christian Encounters
• The Medieval Synthesis: Faith, Scholasticism, and the Gothic Imagination
• The Renaissance: Humanism, Art, and the Rebirth of Classical Thought
• The Enlightenment: Reason, Revolution, and the Challenge to Tradition
• Modernity and Beyond: Secularization, Social Change, and the Role of Faith
• Liberation Theology and Voices from the Margins: Rethinking Western Cultural Narratives
• Postmodernity and the Crisis of Meaning: Spirituality in a Fragmented World

Course Structure:

This course combines lectures, seminar discussions, primary text readings, and multimedia sources (including art and film). We will read philosophical texts by Plato, Augustine, and Descartes, examine the social critique of thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft and Frantz Fanon, and explore how artists from Michelangelo to modern filmmakers have grappled with existential and ethical questions. The class will be interactive, encouraging students to engage with texts from both a historical and theological perspective, while applying them to contemporary questions of social justice, ethics, and faith.

Why This Course Matters:

In an age of increasing secularization, cultural fragmentation, and social upheaval, understanding the humanities in Western culture is crucial for anyone committed to advancing a faith that engages the world. By critically examining the rich traditions of Western thought, we can not only appreciate the beauty and depth of human creativity but also challenge the aspects of Western culture that have perpetuated injustice and exclusion.

This course invites you to bring your theological imagination to bear on our shared cultural heritage and to ask: How can we, as progressive Catholics, draw from the past to create a more just, compassionate, and inclusive future?

I look forward to exploring these deep questions with you and engaging in a journey that will illuminate both our intellectual curiosity and our faith. Together, we will seek to uncover how the humanities can be a force for transformation, not only in our own lives but in the world around us.