College Courses

- Courses

SPRING 2019 COURSE OFFEREINGS

ENG 244 – Introduction to the Great Books II: The Literature of Mercy, Compassion and Forgiveness

Meetings: Tues & Thurs, 2:00 - 3:15pm, UNL Newman Center
Instructor: Dr. John Freeh, Director of the Newman Institute
Credit Hours: 3

“Our twentieth century has proved to be more cruel than preceding centuries,” Nobel laureate Alexandr Solzhenitsyn once famously remarked, adding that the “world is torn asunder by the same old cave-age emotions as greed, envy, lack of control” and “mutual hostility.” This second-semester introduction to the Great Books seeks to provide insight with respect to the problem of human cruelty and suggest remedies through a deeper understanding of mercy, compassion and forgiveness. One such remedy comes through Shakespeare’s Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who implies that mercy is possible only when human beings see the “other” as somehow related to themselves. “Hath not a Jew eyes,” he poignantly asks his Christian adversaries, going on to argue the case for a common humanity which transcends any and all differences.
HUM 253 – Humanities Seminar II: The Mystery of Iniquity

Meetings : Mon & Wed, 3:30 - 4:45pm, UNL Newman Center
Instructor : Dr. John Freeh, Director of the Newman Institute
Credit Hours : 3

“Today I have set before you life and death, a blessing and a curse, choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live.” With these words the Hebrew book of Deuteronomy underscores the “mystery of iniquity,” that human tendency to choose what is destructive of self and others. If, as Origen says in the 3^rd century, “the power of choosing good and evil is within the reach of all,” why does humankind continue to choose evil? And how can we comprehend the claim of Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost that “only in destroying I find ease”? The battle between good and evil lies at the heart of the human story, and some of literature’s most memorable characters – Medea, Faustus, Macbeth, Raskolnikov – provide a foundation for beginning to explore and perhaps understand this ancient “mystery.” By looking at these and other characters, as well as relevant texts from philosophers and theologians, this three-credit course will attempt to discover patterns of thought and action in those who embrace evil – and in those who reject it.
Register
The maximum number of form submissions has been reached. This form is currently not available.
- First Name REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
  
  Last Name REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- Course REQUIRED Please fill out this field.
- Please select the appropriate course. There are no prerequisites for these courses. Tuition is $650 per 3-credit course and is due by the first meeting. The cost to audit is $325. See the "College Courses" page (above) for class times and course descriptions.
- Credit or Audit? REQUIRED Please fill out this field.
- Date of Birth REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- Gender REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- Address REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- City REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
  
  State REQUIRED Please fill out this field.
  
  Zip REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter a zip code.
- Phone Number REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter a phone number.
- Email REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter an email address.
- College/University Attending REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- Year in College (at the time of the course) REQUIRED Please fill out this field.
- U.S. Citizen? REQUIRED Please fill out this field.
- Electronic Signature (Type Name Below) REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter valid data.
- Date REQUIRED Please fill out this field. Please enter a date.
Submit

College Courses

SPRING 2019 COURSE OFFEREINGS ENG 244 – Introduction to the Great Books II: The Literature of Mercy, Compassion and Forgiveness

HUM 253 – Humanities Seminar II: The Mystery of Iniquity

SPRING 2019 COURSE OFFEREINGS

ENG 244 – Introduction to the Great Books II: The Literature of Mercy, Compassion and Forgiveness