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Course Requirements
Notre Dame PrepARATORY
Required Courses:
Students who successfully complete the courses will receive .50 credits per semester. Eight semester of Religion are required for graduation.
OLD TESTAMENT 1
9 This course is a study of the Old Testament. The students learn how to read, study, interpret and contemporize the Bible. They learn how to distinguish literary forms in order to interpret the meaning of the Bible as religious literature. The course begins with the pre-history of
THEMES: God’s deep love for people; our weakness and sin; God’s mercy; our relationship with God, other persons, and the world; Friendship; Call and Response; Sin; Justice; Forgiveness; Leadership; Freedom; The promises made by God and their fulfillment.
PERSONS STUDIED: Adam and Eve; Cain and Abel; Abraham; Isaac; Jacob; Joseph; Moses.
OLD TESTAMENT 2
9 This course is a continuation of Religion 91. It continues to study the religious history of
THEMES: Themes correspond to those of Religion 91.
PERSONS STUDIED: Joshua; Deborah; Gideon; Samuel; David; Solomon; Amos;
Moses; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Judas Maccabeus.
NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES 1
10 Each Christian is confronted by Jesus with two questions: “Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am?” The course, taken by sophomores, attempts to tackle these questions by a systematic study of the origins and nature of the four canonical gospels. As Catholics, a contextual approach to the Gospels is used. The student is asked to understand the historical setting in which Jesus was born and ministered. The student is further invited to sift out the enduring truth of the gospel message and apply that truth to his/her own modern-day Christian life.
NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES 2
10 The second half of the sophomore religion course focuses on the operation of Christianity in the “market place”. It traces the mission of Jesus as He moves among his people both in Galilee and
FOUNDATIONS OF CATHOLIC MORALITY
11 The first part of this course explores the foundations of Catholic morality and suggests methods by which moral decisions are made. It investigates such areas as the meaning of morality, the basic principles of sound moral judgements, the meaning of conscience, the factors that affect the kinds of moral judgements that people make, the importance of laws (including Church laws), the importance of Jesus Christ as a guide for moral living, and clarification of the Church’s teaching on specific moral questions especially from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
MORAL ISSUES AND LIFESTYLES
11 Students are faced with the conflict between their vision of an ideal world and the sobering realities of life. The course MORAL ISSUES attempts to help students understand the impact of the Gospel message on human sexuality, war, poverty, and discrimination. Jesus taught “the way” to early Christians and continues to have a real and practical vision of life, one that embraces each person as son/daughter of the Father. Moral Issues examines Jesus’ vision as it is perceived and responded to in the Roman Catholic tradition especially as taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY 1
12 The course examines the chronolgical history of Christianity from the message and mission of Jesus, as passed on by the earliest disciples, through the Middle Ages. It leads to an understanding that Catholicism is based on Scripture and Tradition, as well as the understanding that the Church is both divine – from God – and human – developed by people. Included in this survey is an examination of people, events, philosophy, art, architecture, and music as they pertain to the Christian faith.
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY 2
12 This course continues to examine the history of the Church from the Renaissance to the present and focuses on the crises in the past four centuries which have challenged Catholic belief. We will conclude this course with an exploration of current social and religious issues facing the Catholic Church as it begins the Third Millennium.
ELECTIVES:
THE CHURCH TODAY
SOCIAL JUSTICE: This component will take an in-depth look at the Church’s teaching on issues that involve our moral and biological relationship. By using chism and recent encyclicals as a base, the course will help to ensure understanding of the Church’s teachings and lead to a Christian response to global problems.
DEATH AND DYING: This component will look at the scriptural understanding of suffering, death and the afterlife. The ethical, scientific and political arguments that surround the topic of death will be examined. Then the psychological and Christian response to death will be discussed.
SPIRITUAL HUNGER IN THE REAL WORLD
There are signs of spiritual hunger in our world today. Various new age movement and cult groups are ways that some people are reacting against materialism in society. Christians have a rich tradition of prayer forms, spiritual mentors, meditation, sacraments, journaling, which have been helpful to people in the past and have much to offer to students today, seeking to satisfy a spiritual hunger. This elective religion course will address the signs and ways of personally responding to spiritual hunger in our lives.
WORLD RELIGIONS
Students will look at the major religions of the world and how their belief systems have impacted society. Is God the same for everyone or does every faith have their own god(s)? The Catholic Church’s view of other faiths and their teachings will also be discussed.