Why Get a BA in Theology from Barry?

Join the Search for Meaning.  The Department recognizes the critical nature of the human search for meaning in our times and examines this fact within a religious framework, placing Catholic theology in communion with that quest. Faculty members will prepare you to seriously consider the spiritual dimension of life and to develop competence in the basics of theological method, thought, and study. In addition, the faculty will prepare you to integrate theology’s concerns with other areas of study, in particular preparing you to address the interaction of faith with culture and the struggle for peace and social justice.

Prepare for Transformative Action.  Barry University was founded and is sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan. The Dominican charisms, study, prayer, community, and preaching, inform the Department’s cutting-edge approach to the integration of active learning and study. Believing that theological study was not just for the academy, St. Dominic preached the use of study to meet the challenges of the times.

The heresies and challenges of our times are different than those Dominic faced, but just as weighty. The ecological crisis, ongoing wars, genocides, and oppressive poverty afflict the 21st century. With its Catholic, Dominican foundation, the Department seeks to help theology majors have an impact through an academic preparation that is joined to transformative action. This concept is thoroughly integrated into the curriculum through service learning.

Study in an Ideal Environment. Located in Miami Shores, a village twenty minutes from vibrant Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Barry invites exchange of ideas and creative solutions. The diversity of South Florida is complemented by our student population; you will be companioned and supported in your program by students coming from various faith traditions and cultural backgrounds. South Florida’s status as gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America opens additional opportunities to enhance your learning experiences.

Receive support from highly qualified faculty. Barry’s eleven fulltime faculty members provide the one-to-one attention and professional expertise that will foster your academic, personal, and ministerial growth. To give you just a few examples, among the faculty are the:

• founder of Amor en Accíon, an organization dedicated to short-term mission experiences in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
• co-editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics and active member of the American Academy of Religion’s Task Force on Religion and Disability;
• author of The Creative Suffering of the Triune God: An Evolutionary Theology (2007) and convener of the Theology and Science sessions of both the Catholic Theological Society of America and the College Theology Society;
• author of  "Philippians," "Philemon," and "Captivity Epistles" in the New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed.;
• author of "When Liturgy Makes the Church: The RCIA Transforming a Campus," Liturgical Ministry 15 (Spring 2006): 108-114.

In addition, the Department hosts the Institute for Hispanic/Latino Theology and Ministry.  While courses offered through the Institute are at the graduate level, as an undergraduate you will be exposed to this important area of study and might even take an independent study in this area. 

Contact Us. We thank you for taking the time to consider how a major in theology from Barry University can help you deepen your theological foundations. If this sounds like the right program for you, you can apply online now. Or if you have additional questions, you can request information or ask us a question online. We can also be reached at 305-899-3469 or 1-800-756-6000, ext. 3469, or by email theology@mail.barry.edu.