Notre Dame PrepARATORY
Required Courses:
Students who successfully complete the courses will receive .50 credits per semester. Eight semesters of Religion are required for graduation.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS (I)
9
The purpose of this course is to give students a general knowledge and appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. Through their study of the Bible they will come to encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. In the course they will learn about the Bible, authored by God through Inspiration, and its value to people throughout the world. If they have not been taught this earlier, they will learn how to read the Bible and will become familiar with the major sections of the Bible and the books included in each section. The students will pay particular attention to the Gospels, where they may grow to know and love Jesus Christ more personally.
THEMES: Scripture as Pointing to the person of Jesus Christ, Divine Inspiration, Canonicity, Historicity, The Magisterium and Interpretation of the Scripture, Vatican II on the interpretation of scripture.
Material studied: Survey of Hebrew and Christian scriptures as pointing to the person of Christ.
WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? (II)
9
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. In this course students will understand that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Revelation to us from God. In learning about who he is, the students will also learn who he calls them to be.
The Mission of Christ 1
10
The purpose of this course is to help students understand all that God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Through this course of study students will learn that for all eternity, God has planned for us to share eternal happiness with him, which is accomplished through the redemption Christ won for us. Students will learn that they share in this redemption only in and through Jesus Christ. They will also be introduced to what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what life as a disciple entails.
The Sacraments 2
10
The purpose of this course is to help students understand that they can encounter Christ today in a full and real way in and through the sacraments, and especially through the Eucharist. Students will examine each of the sacraments in detail so as to learn how they may encounter Christ throughout life.
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 judgments, the meaning of conscience, the factors that affect the kinds of moral judgments 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 chronological 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:
11 12
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 the catechism 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.
SPIRITUALITY
11 12
Christians have a rich tradition of prayer, sacraments, and living out faith in Christ to satisfy spiritual hunger. This elective religion course is for those students who want to turn to their faith more deeply but are not sure what steps to take. Practical, sound ways to deepen students' relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are topics of discussion. This class is recommended for juniors and seniors as they prepare to move on to college and life.
WORLD RELIGIONS
11 12
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.
