All course activity and interaction is done online and asynchronously; lectures, readings, discussions and other assignments are provided through the Canvas platform and there are no required Zoom Meetings or other synchronous activities.

AM-653: Mental Health: An Islamic Perspective with Dr. Hooman Keshavarzi

In this crucial course for chaplaincy, you will become familiar with the basic concepts of mental illness and learn when to make referrals.

DI-540: Interreligious Dialogue: Theory and Practice with Dr. Lucinda Mosher

Develop collegial relationships—indeed, a sense of community and friendship across religious, cultural, social, and gender lines—as you explore in depth the principles, models, and methods of dialogue in a pluralistic world.

ET-546: Theological Ethics & Public Life with The Rev. Dr. Molly James

This class will survey models of our common life that have prevailed in western Christianity in the modern period, reflect on the religious symbols, stories, practices and habits by which we make sense of what is going on in public life, and consider what possibilities exist for fostering a civil society.

HI-619: Muslim-Christian Conflict or Cooperation: The Politics of Interpreting Our Shared Past with Academic Dean David D. Grafton

This course will survey the history of Christian-Muslim relations, giving attention to the use and interpretation of historical sources by contemporary Christians and Muslims.

RS-616: Immigration, Race, and Religion in an Era of Resurgent Nationalism with Dr. Allison Norton

Despite its long history of immigration, the United States has oscillated between perceiving immigration as a valuable resource and as a major challenge. This course is intended to introduce students to the concepts, major trends, and critical issues associated with this reality from religious perspectives.

SC-523: The Torah with Dr. Deena Grant

You will consider the origins of the Torah, the historical influences of the Torah, the literary styles of the Torah, Jewish methods of interpreting the Torah, as well as how modern Jews regard the Torah today.

SC-540: The Synoptic Gospels with Dr. Shanell T. Smith

You’ll explore various theories regarding the so-called “Synoptic Problem”: Which gospel do you think came first? But that’s not all! You will also survey different critical methods in Gospel analysis such as literary, redaction, socio-historical, and tradition-critical and have fun doing it!

TH-612: Theology of Religious Manyness with Dr. Lucinda Mosher

This course facilitates an investigation of a range of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist theologies of religious manyness.

TH-692: Muslim Political Theology in the 20th and 21st Centuries with Dr. Timur Yuskaev

This course offers an in-depth exploration of geographically and thematically organized case studies that address Muslim theological approaches to politics in the 20th and 21st centuries.

WS-639: Islamic Spirituality with Dr. Colleen Keyes

Investigate the historical origins of Sufism, the construction of authority and piety in the Sufi tradition, and much more.

Similar to standard online courses, except these courses feature regular, required Zoom meetings as a way of supplementing the asynchronous content, interaction, and activities that make up the bulk of the course. Zoom session times are carefully established prior to course registration and published as part of the schedule.

DI-513: Introduction to Shi’a Traditions, Beliefs, and Practices with Dr. Hossein Kamaly

Meeting Schedule: Thur. 6-8 PM; first meeting Sept. 17, 2020

Acquire a broad understanding of Shi’a beliefs, practices, and traditions as manifested geographically from medieval Spain to contemporary Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and North America.

ET-655: Contemporary Islamic Ethics with Dr. Hossein Kamaly

Meeting Schedule: Thur. 6-8 PM; first meeting Sept. 10, 2020

Examine the tensions between living in contemporary society and living Islam as a way of life, along with the Islamic principles that can help Muslims live ethically and with integrity in American society.

HI-627: Muslims in North America and Europe: Discourses and Practices with Dr. Timur Yuskaev

Meeting Schedule: Wed. 6-8 PM; first meeting Sept. 16, 2020

This course offers a thematic and historical exploration of Muslim communities, institutions and discourses in North America and Western Europe.

TH-526: Introduction to Black Theology with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Benjamin Watts

Meeting Schedule: Mon. 6-8 PM; first meeting Sept. 14, 2020

Examine the human condition in light of God’s liberating activity. Liberation theology, womanist theology, and the theologies of oppressed peoples will be explored as a method of investigating, explicating, and critiquing religious thought.

TH-553: Introduction to Islamic Theology with Dr. Suheil Laher

Meeting Schedule: Wed. 6-8 PM; first meeting Sept. 9, 2020

Explore the content and structure of Islamic belief, as elaborated by Muslim classical thinkers (7th-15th centuries). No knowledge of Arabic is required.

RS-668: The Changing Religious Landscape: Adaptations in Light of the Pandemic with Dr. Scott Thumma

Meeting Schedule: Tue. 6-8 PM; first meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020

The contemporary religious world is in a rapid state of flux made even more challenging as a result of the COVID19 Pandemic. This course will reflect on how these changes are making a profound difference in the ways that all faith communities practice their religions.

AM-550: Quranic Recitation/Tajweed I with Enas Ghassal

Meeting Schedule:
Section 1 Wed. 4-6 PM, first meeting September 9, 2020
Section 2 -Thur. 4-6 PM, first meeting September 10, 2020
This course is designed for Muslim leaders and chaplains and anyone who is interested in learning and improving their Quranic recitation.

AM-672: Women (and Men) at the Grave of Institutions: Understanding Death Personally and Collectively with the Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper

Meeting Schedule: Tue. 4-5:30 PM; first meeting Sept. 8, 2020

What clearings emerge after a loved one is gone, or an institution dies? What does emptiness offer? Is death always terrible, or is it sometimes wonderful, or something in between? Learn how to grieve as well as how to grow into new life, following the life that is lost.

AM-681: Church Without Walls: COVID-19 Lessons to Prevent Online Church from Being Virtual Church with the Rev. Dr. Michael Piazza

Meeting Schedule: Tue. 10 AM-12 PM; first meeting Sept. 15, 2020

Perhaps more than any other institution, religious congregations have resisted the technological revolution until the COVID-19 crisis. After several months of online gatherings, much has been learned, though we only are beginning to assess the future implications of these learnings.

LG-561: Introduction to New Testament Greek I with the Rev. Dr. Ed Duffy

Tue and Thur. 4-5:45 PM; first meeting Sept. 8, 2020

The focus of this introductory course, which assumes no prior knowledge of the Greek language, is on the basic grammar and vocabulary of New Testament Greek.

LG-661: Readings in New Testament Greek I with the Rev. Dr. Ed Duffy

Meeting Schedule: Mon & Wed. 4-5:45 PM; first meeting Sept. 9, 2020

This intermediate level course is designed to enable students to read the New Testament in Greek, concentrating on grammar and vocabulary building.

Hartford Seminary is not new to online instruction. We have offered online classes for nearly 20 years, and since 2015, we have worked hard to build our online offerings by investing in the needed technical systems and faculty training. These years of steady progress prepared us well for our recent transition to fully remote learning.

This spring we moved all of our courses online successfully, and we are determined to keep improving our online teaching capabilities. Brian Clark, our Director of Instructional Design, is leading an initiative that will provide unprecedented levels of training and support to our faculty, empowering them to become even stronger online instructors and helping us thrive as a community of learners.

While we plan to have students in face-to-face meetings through one Blended Course this fall, we are fully prepared to move those class meetings online should circumstances warrant. With online learning as a component in all of our fall 2020 courses, Hartford Seminary will make a special effort to help first-time online learners adapt to this format. In this unprecedented time, we believe that our courses will reach even more people intent on building bridges of peace and understanding in a troubled world.