Who Is Woman? The Journey from Eve to Mary (Spring 2026-Online)

This course will explore the mystery of woman through Catholic teaching and insights from leading Catholic scholars on femininity. Drawing from the works of Gertrud von le Fort, Alice von Hildebrand, Prudence Allen, and, above all, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, students will discover the essence of the feminine genius in contrast to the cultural confusion that obscures the true nature of woman today. A journey will be made from the fallen disobedience of Eve to the redemptive obedience of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Instructor: Donald Wallenfang

Required Texts:

• Edith Stein, Essays on Woman, translated by Freda Mary Oben (Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1996).
• Gertrud von le Fort, The Eternal Woman:  The Timeless Meaning of the Feminine, translated by Marie Cecelia Buehrle (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010).
• Alice von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman (Ave Maria, FL: Sapientia Press, 2002).
• Donald Wallenfang, Phenomenology: A Basic Introduction in the Light of Jesus Christ (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2019).
• Donald Wallenfang, Metaphysics: A Basic Introduction in a Christian Key (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2019).

Course Dates:  May 4 - June 7, 2026