Theology

Senior High Curriculum

Students are required to take one course in theology each semester. Freshman and sophomore courses are specified. A course on Catholic Social Teaching must be taken during junior year. Courses with an asterisk will fulfill this requirement. Seniors may choose from any elective option.

Required Courses:

 Elective Courses:

 
Arts in the Church (S2)

This course will introduce students to the role of different art forms in the life of the Church. The course will engage students in understanding how best to integrate the arts into the life and mission of the Church, respecting both the Church’s theology and history and the artist’s work. Particular attention will be given to the liturgical arts (visual arts, architecture, dance/movement, poetry, drama, and music) and their role in worship, social action, and spiritual life.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Christian Prayer (S1)

This course is designed for students who have a more developed interest in theology and spirituality, and for those who have made a foundational commitment to God in their lives. This class will address the origins and sources of prayer in the Bible and in the life of Jesus as well as examining various traditional and contemporary approaches and styles of prayer. Students will also learn, take part in, and develop skills in composing prayers and prayer services, as well as deepening their own prayer leadership abilities.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Christian Service* (S1) (S2)

This course centers on student volunteers working in the community. Students’ service work ranges from working in hospitals and nursing homes to helping children with special needs. Three hours of service work are required per week. Students will be required to gain experience from a variety of volunteer opportunities. Students will study the Catholic social teachings and make connections between these teachings and the service work in which they are involved. The purpose of this class is to give students the opportunity to stretch their knowledge of the world, meet new people, and to see that faith involves service, commitment, and intellectual understanding.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Christian Vocations (S1) (S2)

This course is a study of adult Christian life and the process of discerning a vocation in it. Students will study the uniqueness of marriage, the changing roles of men and women, communication and conflict resolution, family planning, sexuality, and the sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders. Vocations to single life, religious life, and the priesthood will also be studied.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

La Religion, Cultura, y Justicia en America Latina* (S1) (S2)

In this bilingual course, students will deepen their understanding of Catholic social teaching in the context of the Latin American struggle for justice. Through readings, presentations, critical reflection, and writings, students will learn about the Latin American cultures and traditions and personalize the importance of connecting cultural and religious ideas to social change. Students will expand their oral and written skills in Spanish through reading assignments, class participation, and composition. Guest speakers, field trips, and service/justice opportunities will also shape the course curriculum. 

Prerequisite: Students who have completed Spanish III with a grade of “B” or higher may register. This course is not the equivalent of a Spanish IV language class.

One semester, one and a half credits, open to juniors and seniors. Juniors currently enrolled in Spanish IV may only register for the second semester of this course.

Students receive one credit in religious studies and a half credit in Spanish.

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Liturgy Committee (S1) (S2)

This course is a study of liturgy in the Roman Catholic Church, covering such topic areas as liturgical history, ritual, sacrament and symbol, the structure of the current rite, and the liturgical year. Students in the course have the responsibility for the liturgical planning that must be done for the BSM community; therefore, emphasis within the course is also placed on the individual development of the liturgical planning skills. In addition, students are expected to take part in a group service project which consists of developing, planning, and coordinating a worship service for an outside group or organization.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Morality (S2)

This course will provide a Catholic Christian perspective of the moral decision making process and moral issues facing society. The class will include a study of moral principles based in scripture and church documents. Students will develop moral decision making skills and apply those skills to complex issues of today.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Service Leadership* (S1) (S2)

Using the life of Jesus and the Catholic Social Teachings as a model, students will learn to recognize the many different styles of leadership and to discern the most effective style for themselves. Content areas the class will cover are: personal development, leadership styles, communication, conflict resolution, consensus model, and time management as they relate to being a Chrisitan leader. Using the educational model, Service Learning students will immediately apply what they have learned about themselves as leaders through an individually designed and implemented service leadership project in our local community.

A required Urban Tour field trip at the start of the semester serves as a springboard for this class.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Social Justice/Nonviolence* (S1) (S2)

This course will focus on the role of the Catholic Church in the modern global society. Focus will be placed on recent Church documents, especially documents relating to Catholic Social teachings. Students will prepare and implement a peace and justice fair for members of the BSM community.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Spirituality (S1) (S2)

This course is for those students who want to explore how a relationship with God fits into their lives. The course will incorporate recent insights on the interplay between psychology and theology and between life experiences and the pathway to God. Course work will include selected readings, reflective papers, prayer and meditation, discussions, and a look at art and music as expressions of faith.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

Theology of Death and Dying (S1) (S2)

This course will investigate the death event from a Christian theological viewpoint. Emphasis will be grounded on four pillars: the reality of death, faith, Catholic traditions, and personal human experience-thereby enabling each student to focus or formulate more clearly, not only Catholic teachings on suffering and death, but also her/his individual concept of death.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

World Religions (S1) (S2)

This course will study the major non-Christian religions of the world: Islam, Primal Religious Traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Students will explore seven primary dimensions for each religion: mythical, material, doctrinal, experiential, ethical, ritual, and social. Students will be expected to participate in class discussion and activities, and attend a non-Christian worship service.

One semester, one credit, open to juniors and seniors.

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Theology 9: Foundations (S1)

This course is an overview of the essential components of the Catholic faith and its relationship to other Christian churches. Students will learn about: the purpose of a faith community, purpose of religions, models of Christian churches, Person of Jesus, forms of prayer, and Sacraments. A focus will be placed upon BSM’s traditions as an expression of Christian faith.

One semester, one credit, required of all freshmen.

Theology 9: Old Testament Survey (S2)

This course is a survey of the Old Testament. The Old Testament was seen as the work of God and the Jewish nation. Areas studied include Old Testament origins and development, interpretation and structure, and applicability to lives today. This course will lay the foundation for other theology courses. One major project or several small projects will be required.

One semester, one credit, required of all freshmen.

Theology 10: New Testament Survey (S1)

This course is a survey of the New Testament. Areas studied include: New Testament origins and development, interpretation and structure, and the importance of the New Testament in the Christian lifestyle today. Reading a variety of texts from the New Testament is a major part of the course.

One semester, one credit, required of all sophomores.

Theology 10: Church History (S2)

This is a survey course covering the basics of church history from the Apostolic Age through Vacican II. The course will move through the highlights of the important developments in the 2000-year journey of preaching the Gospel and building the reign of God.

One semester, one credit, required of all sophomores.

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Junior High Curriculum

Religious Studies 7

This course introduces all major aspects of Christ’s life including the prophets' foretelling of Jesus’s birth, the infancy narratives, the beginning of His ministry, His parables and lessons as well as Christ’s death and resurrection. The course also includes a survey of Scripture, which focuses on the development and creation of the Bible and the historical background of the gospel writers. Much of the course includes the study the gospels and the context in which they were written. Students also examine the use of Jesus’s ministry in literature through reading The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare.

Year-long course, meets every other day, required of 7th graders.

Religious Studies 8

This course provides students with themes of Christian leadership and morality to help them explore their spirituality and a sense of self-identity. A survey of historical figures deepens students' understanding of the Catholic faith tradition and challenges them to relate Christian values to their lives. Through researching the lives of Christian role models and significant events in the Church's history, students gain an appreciation for a contributing community. Students also explore themes such as community-building, forgiveness, decision-making, sexuality, and justice, as they develop skills in Christian leadership.

Year-long course, meets every other day, required of 8th graders.

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